One Chance
by FlubFlub
Summary: It's Edward's wedding day, and Bella is expected to put on a happy face. Kind of hard to do when she still loves him after all these years. **on hiatus**
1. Wedding Day

**Hey guys, so I started another story… I know, I should try to focus on my other ones but I just couldn't help myself. Please Read and Review :)**

**Hope you like!**

**Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight, but I enjoy embarrassing her characters.**

_Shit, I'm going to be late._

"Move your fucking car!" I scream out the window at the old man in his convertible who's obviously too old to drive. He's been sitting and waiting at the green light for over a minute and to be honest, I'm a bit tired of hearing Lady Gaga blasting out of his subwoofers in his fucking Beamer.

_Why do old people always have nice cars?_ I think as I honk the horn in my beat up piece of shit Nissan truck that barely runs. _It's not like they actually drive the speed limit, so why do they need a car that goes over a hundred miles an hour?_

My honking must have finally roused him from his afternoon nap and he peels out, his tires literally squealing, through the now red light. _Jesus Christ! Who the fuck lets these people drive?_

I let out a deep breath and wait for the light to turn green again. Unfortunately, the radio in my Piece Of Rubbish Nissan, P.O.R.N. for short, has been broken since I bought it on my sixteenth birthday nine years ago. Yes my cars' name is PORN. It was Alice's idea, not mine. I even have a bumper sticker, "Honk for PORN." Emmett got it for me for Christmas. Speaking of Alice, she's going to kill me. I'm supposed to help with Bridezilla's makeup. S_tupid Bitch. I wonder if Alice will let me make her look like a clown. She hates Tanya almost as much as I do._ Oh shit, I hope I brought the makeup bag.

Whoa, ADD much? Anyway, I digress. The radio's broken, so unfortunately I have nothing to keep my mind off of what's about to happen.

Edward's getting married. I don't think the reality of what's happening has really hit me yet. I keep waiting for Ashton Kutcher to pop out with his stupid little camera and tell me I'm being punk'd.

Edward and I dated from freshman year of high school until three years ago. We were always the cutest couple, and everyone expected us to get married and have seventeen kids. _I don't think so, no way am I stretching out my girl that much._ His parents were like my own that I never had, and they thought if me as a daughter. We were each other's first everything. First date, first kiss, first fuck, first love.

He asked me to marry him on my twenty second birthday. I panicked. I knew we weren't ready for that, and he knew that I was against marriage after what happened to my parents. I was afraid and I said no. it broke his heart and he left. He packed his stuff while I was at work the next day and moved in with Jasper and Alice.

We didn't speak for a month, and it tore me apart. I eventually had enough and went to Jazz's place intending to apologize and beg him to forgive me. It wasn't necessary. He answered the door in his boxers with a half naked blonde chick hanging off him and sucking on his neck.

"_What are you doing here?"He stutters out nervously._

"_I came to apologize, but I can see that it's not necessary." I say as I back away from the door with tears in my eyes._

"_No Bella, please," he pleads, although I have no idea what for._

"_C'mon Ediie, I wanna fuck." Blondie purrs in his ear all the while staring at me. I feel a single tear slide down my cheek and I turn around and run. I can hear him calling my name, but I pretend not to hear._

After a year, Rosalie and Emmett threw a party celebrating their engagement. It was the first time I had seen him since that day and I was nervous as hell. He and his blonde slut were an hour late. She seemed perfect, everything I wasn't. Huge tits, curvy body like a model, pin straight platinum blonde. She wore a dress that his nothing and blood red lipstick.

I barely recognized him. In all the years we had dated, I had seen him in only two suits. One for college graduation and one for when he proposed. His unruly hair was slicked back with gel, and he looked like he hadn't smiled in years. That wasn't the man that I loved. It was almost disgusting to see how much he had changed.

He hardly even looked at me all night, and I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt. Over time, we had learned to be civil for our friends. I put on a happy face and acted like it didn't tear me apart every time I saw him and _Tanya._

I date, I fuck, I go through all the motions of a fulfilling life, but it's never enough. I'll always want him. I'm a fool to still love him; he's getting married for god's sake. I didn't even want to fucking come, but Alice made me. I think she still holds out hope that Edward and I'll get married one day. _You and me both Chica._

"Well speak of the devil," I say to myself as Alice's ringtone comes on. "What up Bitch?"

"Bella, you need to get down here **now** before I kill Tanya!" she screams at me.

"I know, I'm stuck in traffic. Who the hell has their wedding in New York at rush hour?"

"Tanya's mother insisted that she get married at the same place and time as she did. There obviously was no traffic when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and she got married."

I snort at Alice's sad attempt at humor, "I'll be there in five minutes." I say and hang up.

"Thank god!" Alice yells as she runs up to where I'm standing beside PORN and gives me a hug.

"That bad?"

"You have no fucking idea! My brother is crazy to marry her. She called me midget, and even has a bell that she rings when she needs my help." Alice cries. She's always been sensitive about her size. She's about six inches shorter than me, and I'm not the tallest girl in the world.

"She's just jealous because she has to bend down to get through doorways." It's true. Tanya is freakishly tall. _She'd make a great basketball player_, I think and snort at my mental image. Na, she'd cry about breaking a nail before she even touched the ball.

"There you are." Tanya squeals in her nasally voice that makes me want to stab my eye with a fork. "I've been waiting for my makeup to arrive." She says and grabs her bag from my hand. She strokes the top lovingly and plants a kiss on the bright pink plastic. "I missed you baby!" _Jeeze, you'd think she was marrying it._

"How was PORN on the way here? Did she die?" Alice asks and sits on the hood of PORN. I swear old cars can stand up to anything. _Even sex on the roof, _I think. Oh yes, good times.

"You watch porn while you're driving?" Tanya asks incredulously, giving me a look of disgust.

"Porn where people die? What kind of sick person are you?" Tanya's sister Kate accuses.

"Of course she watches porn while she's driving. Who doesn't?" Alice asks seriously.

Tanya screams in disgust, loud enough for Edward and the guys to come rushing around with just their tux pants on. "What going on?" Emmett asks. "Hey Bells," he says and does a double take. "Wow, looking good sis."

"I know," I tell him simply. Alice and I spent three days shopping for a dress that would look perfect on me. I wanted to go to bargain hut, considering I would burn whatever dress I wore after the wedding, but Alice insisted this was our last chance to make her brother see what he's missing before he gets married. And damn, did I look good.

"Doesn't she look good Edward?" Alice asks her brother innocently. His jaw snaps shut and he looks away from me. _He was totally checking me out._

"Ya, she looks great." Edward mutters.

"Baby," Tanya whines annoyingly and clings onto Edward. "Isabella was watching porn while she was driving to our wedding." She spits out, stressing the words _our wedding_, and glaring at me. She's always hated me, and makes sure that I know she has her claws sunk into Edward.

"Emmett and Jasper snort and bend over, trying to hold in their laughter.

"It's not a big deal Tanya. Everyone loves PORN." Alice deadpans, causing Edward to join in on Japer and Emmett's laughter.

"You people are disgusting." Tanya spits out. She grabs Kate and they sway back to their dressing room. "Oh and Isabella, I'll expect my makeup to be done in a half-hour. Chop-chop." She says over her shoulder, smiling sweetly.

"You got yourself a real piece of work there Edward." Alice tells him sadly and shakes her head. "I'll tide down Bridezilla until you're ready for makeup." She says to me and follows Tanya into the dressing room.

I walk around to the passenger's side of PORN and grab my bag off of the seat.

"I'm sorry about her." Edward's sweet voice calls to me. "She's just stressed about the wedding." It's then that I realize that Jasper and Emmett have left too, and Edward and I are alone for the first time in three years.

"S'alright. I guess I'm used to it from her." I joke.

My joke backfires and Edward looks down, ashamed. There's an awkward silence and I'm about to leave when Edward speaks again. "How are you, honestly. No lying right now."

_I miss you. Don't marry her! I still love you. _"I'm fine." I say and shake my head. He looks hurt by my reply, and it makes me angry. "What right do you have to ask me that?" I ask him angrily. He looks taken aback by my tone, and his mouth opens and closes like he's a fish out of water. "It's your fault I've had to lie to everyone, to myself!"

"My fault! How is any of this my fault? You're the one who said No!" he yells at me.

"And it was the biggest mistake I've ever made." I say more to myself than him. "Look Edward, I'm sorry that I broke your heart, but we've both moved on. It obviously wasn't meant to be. Now if you excuse me, I just want to get through today and find some single guy who's sober enough to be a half-decent fuck."

I can tell my words have hurt him, but I refuse to feel bad. "I'm sorry." He whispers, so low that I barely hear him. "I never wanted this to happen." He calls after me as I make my way toward Tanya's dressing room.

I refuse to let the tears fall as I open Tanya's door. It's complete chaos on the other side, and I wish I could close it back up and run away. Too bad Tanya already saw me. _Bitch._

"Isabella, I'll be ready for you in a minute." She yells over the noise of the blow-dryer her stylist Paulo is using.

"What happened?" Alice asks me when she sees my expression.

"Nothing."

"You're my best friend Bella. I know when something's wrong. Please, tell me!" She begs.

"What am I doing here Alice? Why am I doing this to myself?"

"Because you love him. You're afraid of what would happen if you weren't here."

"I think I should leave."

"Yes, that's a- Wait, what?" Alice says disbelievingly.

"He's getting married Alice. He's practically throwing me out of his life, and I don't want to be around to watch." I say and shuffle my way back to the door, ignoring Alice's words of protest.

"Hey Tanya?" I yell. She whips around and stares at me expectantly, "Fuck you!" I yell and flip her a double bird. I stay around long enough to see her face turn an unnatural shade of red.

I slam the door behind me and waltz back to PORN. I wave to Emmett, Jazz, and Edward as I pass.

"You crazy BITCH!" Tanya yells from behind me. I ignore her and open the driver's door of PORN.

I start the engine and pull out of the church driveway. I risk a glance back at Edward, and his expression almost stops me in my tracks. He's wearing a look that I've only seen once before. The night he proposed and I said no. I stare at him through my rear-view mirror until he disappears. Only then do I let the tar fall.

Midnight Sun's parking lot is full as I pull in, and I have to park in the lot for the porn shop next door.

Midnight sun is probably the dumpiest bar in New York but they have the best booze, ironically.

It looks the same as it has since the gang and I had started coming here when we were eighteen. The three pool tables in the corner, the same suede couches where Alice got fingered for the first time, the musty smell of stale beer. I haven't been here for nearly two years, and it all brings back memories that I've tried so hard to forget.

"Bella?" I hear my name being called from somewhere at the bar. I stand on my tiptoes, _not a good idea in high-heels,_ and find the familiar shine of Rosalie's blonde hair. "What are you doing here?" she asks as I hug her and sit on the stool next to hers. "I thought you were going to assward's wedding?"

"I was, but then I thought 'what the fuck am I doing here?' so I left." I shrug my shoulders. "Can I get a shot, please." I tell the bartender. He nods and heads to the back room.

"You just up and left?" Rosalie asks and sips her beer. I nod in response. "I'm so proud of you!" she squeals. It's no secret that Rosalie and Tanya hate each other. Ever since Rosalie 'accidentally' spilled red wine all over her, Tanya thinks she's the bitch from hell.

"Yup. Flipped her off too." I state proudly and take my shot from the bartender.

"Damn, I wish I had been invited just to see that." She smirks.

My phone buzzes and I jump. I reach down into my bra and pull it out. "Hello?" I ask. "Hey, my eyes are up here buddy," I say angrily to the bartender who is blatantly staring at me girls. I grab the shot out of his hand and down it.

"Bella, where are you?" Alice asks on the other line, concernedly.

"At um, where am I Rose?" I ask as I down a third shot.

"Midnight sun."

"Oh yeah. Midnight Sun, you know the bar you got fingered in?" I giggle. "Hey Alice, Can you tell Tanya to go fuck herself for me? I forgot to tell her before I left."

Rosalie snorts beside me and the bartender cracks a smile. "Why are you still here?" I ask him. "At least make yourself useful and get me more booze, I wanna get drunk."

"-freaking out, and I just don't know what to do! Bella?" oh yeah, I'm still on the phone.

"Sorryy, Alice," I slur. "I love you, did you know that." Whoa, head rush. _How much did I drink?_ "Oh, sank you barman," I say to him and grab the shot he's holding out to me. "Hehe, barman, it sounds like Batman. That's your name now." I tell him forcefully.

"Okay Bella, that enough," Rosalie tells me and grabs the empty shot glass and phone from my hands.

"No, Alice she's had seven shots already." _Seven? Weird, I only remember having one._

"It's his fault she's like this! If he would get his fucking head out of his ass, they'd both be happy." Rosalie yells.

"Who's fucking who's head with their ass?" I slur.

"I have to go Alice. I don't care if he's your brother. Bella is like a sister to me and he's hurting her, and I fucking hate him for it." Rose yells and hangs up.

"Give me the strongest thing you've got." Rosalie demands to Batman.

My eyes open, and I immediately close them due to the bright light. _Where am I?_ I realize I'm laying on something soft, and lift my head to take in my surroundings and am met with Rose's boob, d_amn, that's cushy._

"MMmm more," Rosalie groans and starts moving her pelvis. Her legs wrap around mine, and she starts humping me. "Mn, that feels good." She mumbles, and starts moving faster.

"Umm, Rose?" I say and start poking her boob. "Rosalie," I say, a bit louder. I start smacking her boob, but she doesn't wake up.

"Disgusting," and old woman croons from next to me and covers the little girls eyes that she's walking with.

"Bitch, grow some tolerance," I shout after her. It's then that I realize we are growing quite a crowd. _When did we get on the sidewalk?_ We're lying down in front of the huge XXX sign in front of the porn shop, and Rose is going at in on my leg. _Coincidence?_

"Rose!" I yell in her ear and slap her forehead.

"What?" she mumbles back and stops her gyrating on my leg. "What the fuck? Why are we in front of a porn shop?" she asks and scans the crowd slowly. "What the fuck? Don't you people have lives? Go the fuck away!" she demands in her bitch voice. The crowd disperses almost immediately, and I fall back onto the sidewalk, trying to remember what happened.

"Um Bella, why am I horny?"

"I believe you were drinking Whiskey. You know what that does to you."

"Fuck, why would you let me do that?"

"Bitch, I don't fucking remember what day it is, and I woke up not knowing how I got here with you raping my leg. Don't test me!"

She grabs her phone and flips it open. "2:30" she tells me.

Fuck. Edwards getting married as we speak. He's probably already sealed the deal with cuntface and is on his way to Cabo for his honeymoon. The reality of the situation finally hits me, and I cry. I cry harder than I have since the day I found him with Tanya.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"He's..- he's get- ting Married!" I cry out. She looks at me sympathetically and scoots closer.

"He's a dick, Bella and he doesn't deserve you." She whispers and pulls me into a hug.

"I hate them- I – I hate them- bot-th!" I sob.

"So do I babe, so do I." she curses them and holds me while I sob uncontrollably. I feel her stiffen and look up to her in confusion.

"You know, I'm still a little drunk."

"Me-e-e Too," I hiccup

"Drunk people aren't responsible for their actions, you know." She says with a Cheshire cat smile.

"So?"

"What's the best thing to do when you're drunk?"

I think for a minute, "Ha-ave s-s-sex?" I sniffle.

"Hm, okay second best thing?" I give her a look of confusion, and she rolls her eyes. "Be dumbasses!" she says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"I think we can check that one off the list we-e already dry humped on the sidewalk I-In fron-t of a porn shop." I remind her as I try to calm myself down.

"That's beside the point." Rose dismisses with a wave of her hand. "I'm talking bigger, better, funner!"

"Funner's not a word."

"Jesus Bella, shut up! I'm trying to tell you something here!" I nod my head and pretend to lock my lips. She smiles in satisfaction and continues. "We'll crash the wedding!"

**Hey guys! So what do you think? Question, Comments, Suggestions?**

**I realized after I had typed it that this is my second story that has to do with a wedding… awkward coincidence.**

**S I will try to update this story and my others as soon as possible, but I tend to get distracted with real life, and new story ideas. Reviews do make me write faster and concentrate (Hint Hint) okay, I'll stop rambling…**

**Can we reach 10 reviews before next update?**


	2. To The Window

**Chapter two: To the Window…**

**I want to **_**thank everyone who did review last chapter**_**, I'm so glad you guys are enjoying it! I love reading your feedback and comments, so keep 'em coming!**

**Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight, but you already knew that didn't you?**

Previously:

_"That's beside the point." Rose dismisses with a wave of her hand. "I'm talking bigger, better, funner!"_

_"Funner's not a word."_

_"Jesus Bella, shut up! I'm trying to tell you something here!" I nod my head and pretend to lock my lips. She smiles in satisfaction and continues. "We'll crash the wedding!"_

"Crash the wedding?" I ask incredulously.

"Yes! It's brilliant isn't it!"

_Is she out of her mind? Mrs. Denali would kill me with a fucking fork_. "Um, no Rose. I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why the fuck not?" she looks at me like I'm crazy. "It's perfect."

"Besides the fact that I would probably be murdered by cuntface's relatives, I don't want to ruin Edward's day." I say quietly and inspect my nails like they're the most interesting things on the earth.

After a few moments of silence, I lift my head an inch and look at Rose. Her mouth is set in a thin line and her nostrils are flared. "Bella," she says calmly, "He ripped out your heart and stomped all over it, and you don't want to ruin his wedding? To some nighttime hooker? What is _wrong_ with you?"

"There's nothing wrong with me," I defend and cross my arms over my chest. "I still love him Rose. If she makes him happy,"

"But she doesn't!" Rose screams, causing several old men leaving the porn shop to look at us rather than the scantily clad women on their DVD's. "What are you looking at? Pervs."

"He obviously is," I argue. "If he's marrying her."

"Bella, you've seen how he is with her. That's _not_ Edward and you know it."

"How do you know that's not who he really is, and he was just pretending before."

"You really think he would rather sit around an over expensive terrace in a suit discussing the stock-market with a bunch of old rich guys? Edward used to be fun Bella. Remember? We would go out on Saturday nights and drink until the cops came and forced us to leave. We would call random people and ask them if their refrigerator was running."

I'm hit with hundreds of memories of the old us, Edward and I. Memories of our snow trip when we got lost in a blizzard for three days. Our first time to Disneyland when Edward got beat up by a pregnant lady over the last mouse shaped cookie. Our first plane trip when I passed out and they had to perform CPR.

I don't realize I'm crying until Rose wraps her arm around my shoulder and hands me a tissue. "That's the Edward we all know and love. We need to stop this wedding before he makes the mistake of his life." Rose encourages_. Bitch, she knows I'm emotional_ _right now_.

I pause for a bit and try to calm myself down. Again.

What's the worst that could happen? _We'd be put in jail and they'd have to reschedule the wedding. _Edward could get a restraining order. _Oh well, it's not like I'd want to see him and Mrs. Cullen much after the wedding anyway._

"Let's do this thing." I tell Rose confidently.

She looks up at me from her phone, surprised. "Seriously?" I nod my head and start to push myself off of the sidewalk. She beams excitedly and holds out a hand to me. I grab it and pull her up beside me.

"I just texted Emmett. Tanya had a few makeup issues and they had to postpone for another half hour."

"I'm going to need a new dress." I tell her as I start to feel a slight breeze where there shouldn't be one. I twist my torso until I can see the back of the dress. _So much for a nice outfit._ A huge tear from the bottom of the dress to the mid-back exposes my batman underwear and bare back.

"Who says we're wearing dresses?"

Twenty minutes and one trip to Wal-Mart later, we were pulling into the church where the ceremony was being held.

"I can't believe you talked me into this." I tell her as I slam PORN's driver seat door.

"Don't worry, we look great." Rose tells me as she pulls down her cut of T-Shirt that says 'Deep Throat" with a picture of a giraffe on it. She paired it with a pair of high heels and cut off shorts.

I roll my eyes at her. I went the more modest rout and found a black t-shirt on the clearance rack with a picture of a squirrel holding a giant acorn. In white letters across the top it say 'Don't act like you're not impressed.' I even got matching acorn earrings.

"I take it back. I look amazing, you look ridiculous." She snorts.

"What's the plan?" I ask nervously.

Emmett says they're staring in ten minutes. I say we sneak in and wait for them to start. When the preacher dude starts yappin' we break out into song and start tearing shit up!"

"You're sure they can't arrest us for this?"

"Naw, we'll be long by then." She grabs my arm and starts pulling us around to the 'secret entrance' as Emmett stated in his text.

"So Emmett's in on this?" I ask as we push on the door at the back of the church.

Thankfully it doesn't squeak. "Sorta. He's going with the whole 'don't ask don't tell thing." She whispers as we crouch down and tiptoe to a seat at the back. "He knows we're up to something, hell he encouraged us, but he doesn't want to know what. You know he can't keep a secret for shit."

"That's true." I agree and take my seat next to Rose.

"What the fuck is this? A sweet sixteen?" Rose snorts as she takes in the décor.

It's true, it really looks like one. Every wall on the church is painted a different shade of pink. The hot pink streamers look like they were bought at the ninety nine cent store. The centerpieces on the tables are little Chihuahuas with pink fuzzy hats sitting in pink purses. The Chihuahua was customized to have a speech bubble saying 'thanks for coming to seleberate Edward and Tanya's wedding, Bark Bark.'

_For god's sake, they spelled celebrate wrong._

"How can Edward even think about marrying this witch? I wonder what their house looks like." she comments and snorts.

All of a sudden, the lights dim a bit and the onlookers fall silent. Edward steps out of the shadow and stands under the arch laced with oink flowers. Rosalie snorts and I nudge her elbow.

"You're gunna blow our cover," I whisper so only she can hear me.

I smirk and look back up at Edward. His face is stoic, but his eyes search the crowd. I let myself hope, just for a second, that he's searching for me.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for," _Are they announcing a fucking play?_ "Tanya Denali! Let the wedding begin." A man with a mega phone shouts as the Wedding March starts to play. A spotlight flies to the back of the room and Tanta steps out.

Rosalie and I let out a loud laugh, but thankfully it's dark enough that nobody can see who it was.

Tanya's dress is maybe the number one worst outfit in the world. She may as well have worn a cardboard Wheaties Cereal box.

Her b right white dress has a diameter of four feet at the bottom and is practically dripping with sequins and glitter. The pink sash around her waist is tied into a giant bow, and she's wearing a matching pink bow on her head.

She's holding pink and white roses and waving to the crowd like she's Queen Elizabeth. Bitch.

She waltzes down the aisle with her father strolling behind her. She trips slightly as she reaches Edward and smiles sweetly at him. He gulps and smiles back. I know that smile. I think. He's being polite.

"He doesn't want to marry her." I whisper to Rose. "Look at his face."

"Well then, we're doing him a favor." She smirks. "Count of three."

I nod and start counting. "One,"

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today," the priest stars.

"Two," Rose whispers.

"To witness the joining of Edward Cullen and Tanya Denali in Holy-"

"Three," I whisper absentmindedly, "What song are we singing?"

"Matrimony,"

The Preist barely finishes before Rose jumps up and starts screaming. "To the windoooooow! To the wall!"

Every eye in the church whips around to us and I jump up beside Rose. There's a collective gasp that erupts through the church.

"To the sweat drop down my balls! To all these bitches crawl" I scream and step out into the aisle. Everyone's too shocked to move and stop us.

"To all skeet skeet motherfucker, all skeet skeet god damn!  
>To all skeet skeet motherfucker, all skeet skeet god damn!" Rose yells and joins me in the aisle.<p>

It's so silent, you could hear a pin drop.

Emmett recovers first and sings from beside Edward under the arch. "Shortie crunk so fresh so clean can she fuck that  
>Question been harassing me in the mind this bitch is fine"<p>

I don't dare look at Edward or Tanya as I keep singing with Rose. "She getting crunk in the club I mean she working  
>Then I like to see the female twerking taking the clothes off BUCKEY naked!" we scream and dance around eachother.<p>

Tanya starts screaming and her father rushes down the aisle towards us. "Shut up!" he yells and races toward us.

"3,6,9 damn your fine move it to you sing it to me one mo time  
>Get low, Get low" Rose and I stop grinding on each other and take off in different directions as Mr. Denali comes barreling towards us.<p>

"Get Low, Get low, Get low" I sing and race around each of the tables, knocking down the pink Chihuahuas as I go.

Tanya's mother stands up in front of me and I stop dead in my tracks. She's a rather large woman, not someone I want to tangle with if you know what I mean.

"To the window! To the wall,  
>To the sweat drop down my balls!<br>To all these bitches crawl!" Alice's screaming voice from across the room startles Mrs. Denali whips around long enough for me to slide past her.

I laugh and meet up with Rose in front of Tanya and Edward. We link arms and continue to sing. "Let me see you get low you scared you, scared you  
>Drop dat ass to the floor you scared you, scared you<br>Let me see you get low you scared you, scared you"

By now, the whole room is in chaos with people running all over the place trying to catch Rose and I.

Tanya's yelling at Edward behind us, and Alice has linked her arm with my empty one. "I love you Bella." She laughs and sings with us.

"Now back,back,back it up  
>a back,back,back it up<br>a back,back,back it up  
>a back,back,back it up" All three of us scream as we race down the center aisle and throw open the church doors.<p>

Light streams into the church, and I chance a look back at Edward before we leave. He's staring at me with a breathtaking smile on his face, and I know that he's back.

"Come on Bella!" Rose screams and drags me over to where we parked PORN.

Rose jumps in the driver's seat and revs the ancient engine. I run over to the passenger's side and throw open the door. "Are you coming?" I ask Alice over the roar of PORN and the crowd of screaming people flowing out from the church.

"Naw, I need to talk some sense into Eddie." She tells me. I nod in acceptance and sit down in the car. Alice's hand shoots out and stops me from closing the door. "Thank you Bella." She says seriously with a small smile and runs off.

I smile back and slam my door shut. Rose throws the car in first gear and takes off out the driveway.

"I can't believe we did that!" I laugh.

"We fucking rock." She says and looks at me with excited eyes.

"He's going to kill me." I tell her sadly.

"No fucking way! Did you see his face as we left?"

I shrug my shoulder and Rose rolls her eyes. "I'll tell you what he what thinking," she tells me and pull s over onto the side of the road. She switches off the engine and twists so that she's facing me. "He realized what a tightwad Cuntface and her family is and how fun his real family is."

"You think?"

"Oh, honey I know." She tells me and turns back around to face the windshield. "What the," she pauses and squints out the front window.

"What is it?" I ask.

Not that I really need to. I know what it is. The sirens and read flashing lights are a dead giveaway.

"Oh fuck," Rose curses and twists the key into the ignition. "Come on come on come on!" she yells and hits the steering wheel in anger of the low grinding noise of the motor. "Start you piece of shit!" she yells.

The two cop cars pull up to us, one in front and one behind and they step out of their cars in their fancy little uniforms. The woman in front of us takes a bite out of her doughnut before shutting the door and walking around to Rose's side.

"Good evening ladies." She snarks and gives us both the once over. "Are you Isabella Swan and Rosales Gale?"

"It's Rosalie Hale," Rose snaps and and crosses her arms.

"Um, I'm not Bella I'm Pedro. I think you have the wrong car." I tell the officer calmly.

"Get out of the car." She demands and pulls open the door.

"I fucking hate you Rose," I hiss at her.

A second officer strolls up behind us and grabs my hands. "Rosales Gale and Isabella Swan, you are under arrest for disruption of a holy ceremony, recklessness, and public indecency."

"It's Hale, Rosalie Hale." Rose corrects angrily as the female officer snaps the silver cuffs around her wrists.

The cop behind me does the same, and the cool metal feels heavy and sharp around my hands. He walks me around to the female's car and pushes me in. Rose is shoved in next to me and both doors close.

The uncomfortable seats are worn and filthy, and I notice there are no handles on the doors. They can only be opened from the outside. _Fucking great! What if we get into an accident?_

"I must say," the female cop starts as she slides into the cab of the car and slams her door shut. "This has to be the oddest call we've ever gotten."

**EPOV**

I'm standing next to my sister and Emmett watching the scene unfold before me. My _fiancé_ running around like a chicken sobbing that her wedding day is ruined. Mr. and Mrs. Denali calling someone and shouting on the phone. Some of the hundreds of guests I don't even know driving away while some stand back and watch the show.

Like I said, I'm watching it, but I'm not really _watching it._ Nope. My mind is millions of miles away. Well, three years away to be exact. Three years ago, when I was happy.

Memories start to flood my mind about myself, my family, and my friends. My Bella.

_What am I doing here? When did it all go wrong?_

**So, watcha think? Next Chapter hopefully up soon… faster with reviews, (hint hint)**

**The song they sang was Get Low by Lil Jon (a slightly disturbing song, but I figured it would be perfect)**

**Drop a review on your way out!**


	3. Pat

**And here it issss…. Chapter 3!**

**I want to take a second to thank everyone who has reviewed and added this story to their favorites! I'm so glad everyone is enjoying this story. You're guys' reviews really do make my day! Thank you and keep em' coming!**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and its characters, I just borrow them…**

The ride to the police station is filled with uncomfortable silences and the occasional call over the car-radio for backup.

"So tell me," The female cop's voice brings me out of my daydream of a thousand ways to commit suicide in a cop car. "How do two pretty young things like you come to the point where you think it's a good idea to crash a wedding?"

_Young things?_ I'm pretty sure you're just as young as us lady. "Technically I was invited." I tell her through the bars.

"Do you make a habit of bursting out into sexual songs during church events?" I can see her staring at us curiously through the rear-view window.

"Only at weddings where the groom is too stupid to realize what a fuckin' bitch he's tying himself to."

"Language Gale!" she barks angrily.

"It's Hale! H-A-L-E! Hale," Rose bites back. I roll my eyes and continue to watch the setting sun.

"Miss Swan?"

"Yup,"

"Mrs. Denali's family has decided not to press charges."

"Fan-fucking-tastic," I say under my breath. It's probably Mrs. Edward Cullen now. _Bitch._ I huff angrily catching Rose's attention.

"I'm sorry."

I turn to look at her. I can tell she's being sincere, all though I don't know what for. "Why?"

"I really thought it would work," she tells me sadly, "I thought, I don't know. I guess I thought he'd see you and… run into your arms. Tell you he misses you, and he loves you." She laughs bitterly, "I wanted him to shove that ugly fucking cake in that bitches face and tell her the deals' off."

I reach across the seat and grab her hand. "Rose," I take a deep breath. "I knew… I knew it wouldn't work." She looks at me in confusion. "You can't make Edward change his mind. Once he makes a decision, he sticks with it."

"Then why did you go along with it?"

"You know that saying? Something about going out with a bang? Well, I figured I'd give it a shot. At least now he knows."

A loud snort comes from the front seat, "Knows what?" the female cop jokes, "That you have sweat dripping down your balls?"

Rose ignores her, "I don't know what you see in that guy anyway. If he doesn't have the balls to at least talk to you." She shakes her head. "The sex must've been really good."

"Oh yes," I tilt my head back and remember all the nights we spent… well, not sleeping. "The sex was very good." I drawl out.

"And another thing, I don't get why he let you go. I mean, you're totally fuckable. You've made me question my sexuality on more than one occasion.

"Seriously?" my head flies up and I look at her in shock.

"Naw, I do love me some dick. But, if I were to switch teams I'd definitely do you."

"What if I said no?"

"Then you'd be the first woman I'd rape." She jokes.

"Aw, I love you." I tell her.

"So, let me get this straight, you're in love with the groom? How did that happen?" Rose rolls her eyes at the officer and faces towards her window.

"It's a long story," I tell her, dropping the hint that I don't want to fucking talk about it.

She obviously doesn't get the memo. "It's a long drive, especially in this traffic."

A half hour and an autobiography about my life later, we roll into the police station. It reminds me of the jailhouse from the old western movies. Minus John Wayne, of course.

"Alright ladies, I'm going to trust that you don't run away." She tells us and gets out of the cruiser.

"I'm not so sure, I think I should make a break for it," Rose jokes when Officer Leah, _yep I found out her name_, slams the door shut. The other cop that arrested me comes around to Rose's side and opens the door.

"Come on ladies." We slide out and follow Officer Leah up the steps and into the stone jailhouse.

"Have a seat," she holds open the barred door to the only ten by ten cell in the room. We make our way in and sit on the hard bench across from the metal single bed somehow attached to the wall. Oh good, there's even a toilet in the corner. Just in case you wanna flash the officers when you take a shit.

"You still hate me?" Rose looks up at me through her eyelashes.

"Naw, I could never hate you."

"If I makes you feel better, I thought it was kinda fun."

"It was," I agree "In a, creepy, perverted kinda way."

"You're in luck," Officer Leah tells us as she slides the cell door open.

"We're free?" I ask excitedly and stand up.

"No, no that lucky." She smiles. "You have company."

A large… person steps out into view and stomps into the cell with us. _I want to say she's a woman, but I'm not sure_. He-she's wearing a pair of unflattering overalls and a back Tee underneath.

Rose twists her head to the side. "Is that a man or a butt ugly woman?" she whispers so only I can hear her.

I hesitate, "I have no idea."

The cell slides closed behind it and I scoot closer to Rose. "Hi, I'm Rosalie. What's your name?" she asks slowly.

He-She just stares at her and takes a seat on the bed thing. It groans and dips under her weight, and I can't help but feel bad for it. The bed, not the person. It's obviously not a good person if it still has cuffs on.

"What are you doing? It could totally kick our asses."

"If we know its name, we'll know if it's a he or a she." Rose answers me stupidly. I roll my eyes and lean back against the wall.

"Alright Pat," Officer Leah addresses he-she. _Pat? Seriously?_ Rose shoots me an incredulous glance and I shrug my shoulders. "County jail is on its way to come get you, kay? Just sit tight."

An awkward silence passes. "So, you're names Pat, right?" leave it to Rose to start the conversation. Pat's eyes shoot toward us and I shrink down under her glare. "Is that short for somethin'? Patricia? Patrick? Patunia?"

"I think it's Petunia, Rose."

"Shut up Bella." Pat remains unresponsive, but keeps her grey eyes trained on us. Rose chuckles awkwardly, "You know, there's a Saturday Night Live skit about this very predicament."

_Oh god, I know that skit. Don't explain it Rose! Don't do it!_

"Yeah," she laughs, "There's this lady, or man, they never do tell us," Rose rambles, "In the skit, everyone tries to find out whether it's a man or a woman. Its name's Pat too. Have you seen it? You're a spitting image, I'm telling you."

"Um, Rose," I point to Pat who's fists are clenched and looks as though it wants to kill something.

It stands up and makes its way toward us. Before I can scream, Pat unbuttons its overalls and lets them fall to the floor.

_My EYES!_ Pat is apparently a very aroused man who doesn't like to wear underwear under his clothing. I scream and throw my hands over my eyes trying to block out the image that will be forever singed into my brain.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Officer Leah screams and I hear the cell door slide open. I peek through a crack in my hands just in time to see Mr. Pat being pulled out of the cell and being handed off to some burly dude with a Texas-style mustache.

Rose is bent at the waist with her head resting on her legs. She's shaking and I put a hand on her back. "It's okay Rose, he's gone." I sooth and rub small circles on her back.

She faces me and her face is red with… laughter? _How the fuck is this funny? We just got flashed by a she-man!_

"Did you- did you see the size of it?" she manages to get out before busting up again and stomping her feet on the ground.

_Is she crazy? _"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Did you or did you not see the size of his dick, Bella?" she giggles. "It was the size of a… of a toothpick!" she yells and erupts in another fit of laughter.

Yep, she's crazy.

"I'm so sorry about that." Officer Leah says sincerely. She looks at Rose's, hunched over laughing, form strangely. "That was Patrick Alvin. He escaped from the county prison yesterday and one of our guys picked him up. Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she forgot to take her meds this morning." I lie. "Can we get out phone call now?"

"Oh, definitely." She leaves and returns a moment later with a cordless phone. She hands it to me through the bars and disappears back over to her desk.

I return to the bench and push the familiar numbers. The phone rings a few times, "Hello?"

"Hey, Emmett."

"Bella?"

"Yep, it's me. Hey… I'm a need your help with a little, um… predicament we're in." I tell him hesitantly.

"We?"

"Yeah, me and Rose,"

"Where are you guys? I've been calling your cells all day?"

"Promise you won't yell."

"Why would I-"

"Just promise!"

"Alright, I promise."

"We're in jail." I tell him bluntly. I hear him spit something out that sounds liquidly and choke. "Em? Em, you okay?"

"What did you just say? Cuz it's sounds like you said jail."

"Yep, you heard right." He curses on the other line and I hear a few other voices. I recognize Alice's although I can't tell what she's saying.

"Emmett? I need you to come get us." I tell him. "Please, Em,"

He sighs deeply, "Alright. I'll be there." The line goes dead.

"So? How'd he take it?" Rose asks, having finally calmed down from her laughing fit over small dicks.

"He's pissed." I tell her. "Hheeeey!" Officer Leah's head shoots up. "I'm done with this." She rolls her eyes and lifts herself off of her chair.

I'd never noticed before but she has a slight limp. "You okay?" I ask, motioning to her limp.

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Yep, shot in the line of duty three years ago. It's fully healed now."

"How did it happen?" Rose asks and joins me against the bars.

"Drug bust. Some punk got outta hand and started shooting at us. My fiancée was my partner at the time and I jumped up to push him out of the way. Shot in the left leg." She pulls her pant leg up revealing a scar just above her knee.

"I'm sure your husband's very grateful," Rose compliments her.

Officer Leah laughs bitterly. "I wouldn't know."

"What do you mean?" I ask and lean against the bars.

"I was in a coma for three months after the incident." She looks away and takes a deep breath. "My fiancée Sam was living it up in Cabo for three weeks with the girl from tech. Imagine my surprise when I woke up to him holding hands with his little whore asking for his ring back."

"I'm so sorry." I tell her honestly and try not to cry.

"Want us to kick his ass? I mean, we're already in jail, how much worse could it get?" Rose tells her.

Officer Leah laughs. "Actually a lot worse. You could have faced time if they decided to press charges."

"I wonder why they didn't." Rose muses.

"I know why. I may or may not have… advised them to let this go. We have a list the length of my arm on things we could bust Mr. Denali for. I just made sure they knew I wouldn't hesitate to bring those out if they made this a big deal."

"Thank you so much," I tell her in awe, "But, why?"

"I know what it's like to see the one you love with someone else." She faces me, "I would have done the same thing had the roles been reversed."

"Really?"

"Well, I may have done some things differently…" she trails off and laughs. The phone rings across the room and she excuses herself to answer it.

"So, Em's on his way?" Rose asks and makes herself comfortable on the bed. Well, as comfortable as one can be on a slab of metal jutting out from a stone wall.

"Yep."

She nods and lays back, closing her eyes. I make my way over to the bench and sit back down, trying to make time pass faster.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I know and annoying beat is playing right next to my ear.

"_To the windoooooow! To the wall!"_ Someone screams.

I scream and fall off the bench.

Emmett's in the middle of the cell shaking his ass and singing along with the boom box he brought in a high pitched voice.

Rose is on the bed laughing her ass off.

"_To all skeet skeet motherfucker, all skeet skeet god damn!  
>To all skeet skeet motherfucker, all skeet skeet god damn!"<em> He sings and points to me, all the while trying to moon-walk.

Alice walks in and sits next to me, shaking her head and laughing. "He couldn't resist." She yells over the music.

I snort as Emmett pulls his shirt and pretends to flash us his tits.

The music shuts off, but Emmett continues to... sing. "Now back,back,back it up  
>a back,back,back it up<br>a back,back,back it up  
>a back,back,back it up" He scoots backwards across the floor.<p>

"Alright, you've had your fun, now get outta here." Officer Leah scolds at Emmett.

"Thank ya' ma'am." He tells her and grabs his boom-box. "C'mon Rose. I'm horny." He grabs her hand and pulls her out. Alice follows quickly behind them and slams the cell door shut before I can get out.

"Very funny," I pull on the door but it doesn't budge. I pull harder and jiggle it, but nothing happens. "Alice!" I scream at her retreating form. "Alice! You let me outta here right now!" I yell and shake the bars. "Emmett! You come and unlock this door! Emmett!"

"Sorry Bells," he tells me insincerely and disappears out of the jailhouse.

My mouth drops open and I search the room for Officer Leah, but she's nowhere to be found. "Emmett!" I yell, "This isn't funny!"

I slump down to the ground and rest my head in my hands. _How dare they fucking leave me here!_

The sound of the jailhouse door opening causes my head to shoot up. "Thank god, I thought you were really going to-" I stand and look up to the door and stop dead in my tracks.

"Edward?"

**Hehe, why is Edward there?**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! **

**Please review…**


	4. Chapter 4

**I want to thank everyone for your wonderful reviews! You guys are so amazing, thank you so much!**

**And without further ado, I give you (drum roll please) chapter 4! Hope you like.**

**In addition to owning Twilight, Stephenie Meyer also reminded me to tell you guys to REVIEW :) It makes us happy**

**Previously**

"_Very funny," I pull on the door but it doesn't budge. I pull harder and jiggle it, but nothing happens. "Alice!" I scream at her retreating form. "Alice! You let me outta here right now!" I yell and shake the bars. "Emmett! You come and unlock this door! Emmett!"_

"_Sorry Bells," he tells me insincerely and disappears out of the jailhouse._

_My mouth drops open and I search the room for Officer Leah, but she's nowhere to be found. "Emmett!" I yell, "This isn't funny!"_

_I slump down to the ground and rest my head in my hands. How dare they fucking leave me here!_

_The sound of the jailhouse door opening causes my head to shoot up. "Thank god, I thought you were really going to-" I stand and look up to the door and stop dead in my tracks._

"_Edward?"_

**BPOV**

Edward shuts the door behind him and leans against the wall on the opposite side of the room. He's obviously changed out of his wedding attire and moved onto honey-moon wear. He's dressed in khaki shorts and a button down with Vans shoes, but he manages to make it look like an outfit modeled in GQ.

My mouth drops open and my mind turns blank. _Oh fuck, I bet he came to tell me he never wants to see me again._

"Edward,"

"You already said that," he points out and makes his way closer to my cell. His voice is void of emotion, and I can't tell what he's feeling.

"What are you-" I squeak out and clear my throat, "What are you doing here?" I ask and try to steady my heartbeat. _He didn't come for you_, I chastise.

"Better question would be; what are you doing here?" he motions to the metal cage I was so rudely left in.

"Someone called the cops,"

"And why would they do that?" he pulls up a rolling chair and sits in front of me. I return to my perch on the floor and look up at him.

_So that's why he's here. He wants an apology._ I take a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Edward. I-"

He snorts and leans back in the chair. "No you're not, Bella. You knew exactly what you were doing."

"Not true," I point out, "I was under the influence of alcohol and Rosalie." He looks at me from under his lashes and smirks. _I wish I knew what he was thinking_.

I kneel up in front of him and he leans forward so we're face to face. Well, besides the metal bars. "Edward," I pause and muster up as much sincerity as possible. "I'm sorry I ruined your wedding. I knew this was a big day for you and I did it anyway."

He looks at me strangely and takes a deep breath. "I'm not."

I look at him in confusion, waiting for an explanation. "You're not what?" I ask when he doesn't continue.

"I'm not sorry you did what you did."

I look at him in confusion. "You mean-" my eyes shoot down to his left hand and find it void of any ring.

"I didn't go through with it." His eyes find mine and he smiles ruefully.

_He didn't marry her?_ "But I thought-" I pause and try to find a way to word my thoughts. "I thought you loved her? Isn't this what you've always wanted?"

"I thought I loved her, I really did." He gets down from the chair and copies my Indian-style pose in front of me. "And yes, I always have wanted to get married, settle down. Start a family, you know?" I nod my head. "But then I realized, marriage means nothing if you're not with the woman you love." He stares at the wall just above my head. "What you did today," he pauses and smiles, "I haven't laughed that hard in three years, Bella. It made me realize that this wasn't who I was. I'm not the guy that lives in a billion dollar house with a plastic wife who loves boob-jobs more than family. I'm not the guy that sits around sipping Champaign on a golf-course every Sunday with old rich people discussing stock markets. That's not me."

"That's not you," I agree. His eyes shoot to mine quickly, almost as if he forgot I was there. "I miss you, Edward." His eyes soften and I push down the emotion threatening to break through. "I miss the Edward that would rent the crappiest Sci-Fi movies and show up on my doorstep with coffee and doughnuts. I miss the Edward that I could talk to for hours, and it would never seem like more than a few minutes."

He looks away and I use that as my chance to wipe away the tears building in the corners of my eyes.

"I made a mistake that day." I tell him, "I never should have said no."

"No," he shakes his head. "You weren't ready. I knew it, but I asked anyway." He shakes his head. "I should never have let you go. I should have begged you to take me back."

"Why didn't you?" a single tear traces its way down my cheek and Edward watches it fall.

"I don't know." He reaches his arm slowly through the bars and wipes it away. "You were my girlfriend yeah, but you were so much more than that."

He starts to pull his hand away, but I grab it and hold it in mine.

"I've missed you every day, but I was afraid to go back, to call." He tells me and stares at our hands, "I was afraid of what you would think of me. Of what I had become."

"I always would have been there, Edward."

"I knew that." He sighs and looks me in the eye. "I didn't want to disappoint you. I didn't want you to realize that I wasn't worth the time, or effort."

"Stop, Edward. Don't blame yourself." I tell him, "It's in the past. Nothing we do is going to change that." I sniffle and wipe my eyes. "Let's move on." I let go of his hand and stand up, stretching my legs.

"Move on?" he uses the bars to pull himself up. He looks, _disappointed?_

"Yeah. I don't want to lose you Edward. She took you away from us once, and I won't let it happen again." I lean my body against the bars, wanting to be as close as possible to him after all these years. "Will you be my best friend again, Edward?" _Oh, but I want so much more._

He smiles a breathtaking smile and reaches both arms through the bars. "You have no idea, Bella." He wraps his arms around me tightly and I do the same. "I missed you so much," he whispers against my head and buries his head against my hair.

"I missed you too," _I love you._ I would never actually say it. No sense in scaring him off once I finally got him back.

"Hey, E?" I ask into his chest after a few minutes. I feel him smile broadly against my head. "What's with the smile?"

"You called me E." he refers to our nicknames we've had since our first date in high school. I hadn't even noticed I had said it.

"I can stop, if it-"

"No!" he clears his throat, "No, I love it actually."

I smile proudly. "Anyway, E?"

"Yes, B?"

"I don't suppose you can spring me outta here, can you?"

"I can check around for a key?" he states it as more of a question and I immediately feel the loss when he lets me go.

He turns around and starts searching on the desks for a set of keys. I pull my arms out from the bars, but I'm met with an uncomfortable resistance.

My brows furrow in confusion and I pull harder on my arms. _Shit._ I jiggle my arms and it causes the metal door to shake too.

"Um, Edward?" I continue trying to pull my arms free from between the bars. "Edward!"

"I know, I know, I'm looking but I can't find them! Jeeze woman, give me a break." And just like that, we're Bella and Edward again. The Bella and Edward from college, who joke, and laugh and comfort. The Bella and Edward I've missed so much.

"Edward, we have a few more pressing matters than keys right now!" I tug harder, causing a burning sensation in my wrists.

"What is so important that it can't wait until I find the-" his eyes widen and he stops rambling as he faces me and sees my hands sticking out from between the bars of the cell. "Keys," he finishes lamely.

"Don't just stand there, do something!" I whine.

"Geeze Bella, I turn around for two seconds," he jokes. I shoot him a glare that shuts him up.

"Oh god Edward! What if I' stuck here! You'll have to bring me food and feed it to me since I can't move my arms." I start to panic, "Wait!" I gasp, "What if they have to cut off my arms! Who will drive PORN? Who will open my doors? Who will wipe my ass when I go potty! Who will-"

"Bella!" Edward interrupts my ramblings.

"Yes, E?"

"Just turn your arms so the skinny side faces up and down."

"Are you implying that my arms have a fat side, Cullen?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Just do it."

I bite my tongue in concentration and slowly twist my arms to the 'skinny side' and try to pull them out. It hurts, but I get all the way to my wrists before they get stuck. "Edward! I'll need my hands one day!"

He rolls his eyes and un-balls my fists, pushing them easily through the bars. "Oh,"

"Yeah." He chuckles, "Good news," he holds up a shiny key ring packed with what looks to be over a hundred keys. "I found the key ring!" he smiles like a small child who just found his lost batman action figure.

"Fantastic," I say sarcastically and make myself comfortable on the metal bed. _This could be awhile._

Twenty minutes and thirty four keys later, _yes I counted_, Edward is sliding the metal barred door to the cell open.

He holds out his hand and pulls me up. I nod once in his direction and take a tentative step out of my cell.

"Freedom!" I scream and jump into Edwards arms. He's tense at first, and I worry I've overstepped my boundaries, but he eventually relaxes and hugs me back. It feels so good to be back in his arms after all this time.

"You know you were only in there for a few hours, right?" he asks and I hesitantly let go of him.

"Yeah well, I don't know how people do that." I shudder and grab my purse from Officer Leah's desk. _Where did she run off to, I wonder?_ "I wouldn't last a day in prison."

"Yeah," Edward snickers, "You'd probably become some fat she-man's bitch."

I shudder in the memory of Pat, "Don't you even say that." I warn him seriously, "You have no idea what I went through today."

"What? Did you break a nail?" _It's so nice to see him laugh again._ But he's not off the hook.

"Have you ever seen a dude that looks like a chick's toothpick peen?" he looks at me like I'm crazy. "I didn't think so. I'm going to have to bleach my eyes."

"You're weird, you know that?" he laughs and shakes his head. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he looks at me from the corner of his eye.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. You're staring at me."

"It's just- It's good to see you laugh again." He smiles and reaches for my hand.

"I never did actually thank you."

"Eh, what are friends for?" I shrug my shoulders. I unconsciously drift toward him. He looks deep into my eyes and leans forward. _Oh god, is he going to kiss me? Please kiss me!_

I stand on my toes and bring our faces closer while he leans down. "Bella," his breath is cool as it washes against my face.

"I told you I have tonight covered!" A female voice screams and the jailhouse door swings open forcefully.

"Leah, I'm scheduled for tonight. You know Harry assigned me night watch." A male voice calls out. Officer Leah steps into view and shuffles over to her desk.

"Just go, Sam. Your wife probably needs you." Officer Leah spits out angrily.

"Don't fucking bring her into this!" a tall man follows Leah to her desk. He has black cropped hair and a matching suit as Leah's. As he storms past us, I get a clear view of his nametag. _Officer Sam Uley._ Sam fucking Uley!

"I'm not; I'm only speaking the truth, Sam."

"Leah, don't-"

"I'm done with this conversation Sam!"

"Excuse me," Leah's and Sam's eyes snap over to mine. "Hi, I'm still here," I wave slightly.

"Oh, you can go dear. I'm glad you two made up," she glances towards Edward's and my hands intertwined. "Assuming you're Edward?" Edward nods and pulls me toward the door.

_Yeah, we were about to do a lot of making out- I mean – up, before you showed up!_ "Alright, I'll try to stop my addiction to criminal activity." I tell her and she smiles.

"C'mon Bella, before they change their minds." Edward says, loud enough for me to hear.

I pull my hand from his and march over to where Sam Uley is hovering over his ex-fiancé. "Hi, I'm Bella." I tell him sweetly.

"And?"

"And… this is for my new buddy," I tell him cheekily and whack him in the gonads with my knee. He cringes and cups his balls, groaning. Officer Leah jumps up and watches as he falls to the floor.

Her hand flies to her mouth and she lets out a loud snort. "You're welcome!" I salute her and follow Edward out the door.

"What was that about?" Edward asks as we start walking down the street, unconsciously shielding his dick.

"Oh, trust me, he deserved it." I tell him nonchalantly. "Where are we going?"

"We're meeting Emmett and the gang at a bar down the street."

"Midnight Sun?" I shout as a taxi passes noisily by us. He nods and pulls out his phone. "Where's your car?"

"Tanya totaled it when I gave her ring back."

"I'm sorry," I tell him honestly. That was a nice Beamer.

"I'm not. I prefer my Volvo, anyway."

"You still have that thing?" I smile at the memories. Edward's had his Volvo since he started driving in Junior year. His sixteenth birthday present.

"Yep." He looks at me and smiles, no doubt remembering all the drive inn's we had gone to in that car. And all the time we had gone parking, but that's a different story. I bump his shoulder playfully and laugh. _God I've missed him._

Cobra Starship is blasting throughout the club speakers as we walk in. Bodies are grinding and dry-humping out on the dance floor.

"Hey! There they are!" Emmett slurs as Edward and I approach the table they're sitting at. He throws his gigantic arm around my shoulders and hugs me to his side. "I love you Bells!"

"I love you to Emmie," I coo at him and pat his chest, slowly ducking out from under his arm.

"So?" Rosalie asks and pulls me next to her in the booth and motions toward Edward.

"So what?" I plat innocent and grab her drink. "Ew, what is this shit?" I slide her drink back over to her as the liquid burns down my throat.

"It's a screaming orgasm Bella, try getting one." her double meaning was not lost on me. I stick my tongue out and search around for Alice and Jasper. "Don't waste your time. They left for the bathroom an hour ago and have yet to return."

_Ew_. "In a public bathroom? That's fucking unsanitary."

"Our little Alice is getting a bit voyeuristic." She smirks and throws her arm around my shoulder. "So? What happened with Edward?" she asks as Emmett and Edward make their way to the bar.

"Nothing." I shrug my shoulders. "We're going to try to be friends again."

"Friends? Bella, how long is that going to satisfy you? You love him for fucks sake!"

"I'm sorry, Rose! It's the best I could do."

She sighs deeply. "You guys are ridiculous. I mean really, just get together already!"

"Trust me Rose, I want nothing more." I tell her as I watch Edward grab a few beers from the bartender.

He bumps Emmett's shoulder and laughs playfully before making his way back to our table. He sees me watching and shoots me a crooked smile that takes my breath away. I attempt to smile back.

"Stop it Bella! It looks like you gotta shit." Rose teases and smacks my shoulder. "Hopelessly in love." She shakes her head.

_I couldn't agree more._

**Who thinks they'll be able to stay just friends? Not meeee :)**

**Whatcha' think? Let me know in a little ol' review…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone! I'm so sorry about the late update; I really have no excuse :(**

**I wanna dedicate this chapter (as always!) to everyone who has reviewed… you guys make my day! And to btlmotormouth, I'm so glad I made you guys laugh :)**

**In addition to owning Twilight, Stephenie Meyer also reminded me to tell you guys to review :)**

_Ugh, my head. What happened last night?_ I narrow my eyes in attempt to block out the bright rays of sun blasting through the open windows. My whole body aches and my head feels like someone's jabbing it with an ice-pick.

I rub my face tiredly and sit up slowly, suppressing the wave of nausea that threatens to overtake me. I'm halfway up when I become dizzy and thump back down on the mattress.

_Wait a minute,_ I pause and bounce a bit on the bed again. _This isn't my bed._

The mattress that I'm currently occupying is much too soft to be my own. Mine, you flump down on it and have to go the hospital for a concussion. _I'm serious, that shits like concrete._

If it hadn't been for the mattress, the hot pink room would have been a dead giveaway that I'm not at home. _Where the fuck am I?_ I sit up in surprise and take inventory of myself.

_Well, at least I still have my clothes on._

I hold my head, trying to stop the pain, and bolt out of the bed. My purse and shoes are lying on the nightstand and I quickly slip them on. I make my way quietly over to the door and twist the handle. When the door's about half-way open, I slip through and peer down each end of the hallway.

A loud _thunk_ and a string of curses coming from a door down to the left startles me and I jump. It's a man's voice, and I immediately panic. _What kind of screwed up guy has a pink room? I hope we didn't have sex._

"God dammit!" The voice curses again. I try to tell myself to make a run for the exit, but my feet don't listen and soon I'm standing outside of a halfway closed door similar to the one I just escaped from. I push it open silently and strain my neck around the doorway to see into the room.

There's a bookshelf lining the whole back wall and a black leather couch sitting across from a television hanging on the opposite wall. It looks like some sort of office. _At least it's not bubblegum pink._

The man is hunched over in a desk chair filing through some papers on the ground beneath him. _Wait a minute-_

"Edward?"

He jumps and falls out of his chair face first on a stack of papers.

"Careful there chipmunk." I snort and make my way into the office.

"Chipmunk?" he raises his eyebrows and settles himself back in his chair, acting as if he didn't just eat carpet in his own house.

"Yeah, you know the furry demons that steal your bread when you have a picnic?"

There's a pause and Edward smiles wryly. "Alrighty then."

"Don't judge." I tell him and lay down on his couch. I throw my arm over my eyes and try to focus on something other than my pounding head. "You wanna tell me what happened last night?" I inquire and peek at him from under my arm.

He smirks and continues rustling through his papers. "You mean, why you woke up in a room that looks like Barbie threw up in?"

I snort. "I always pegged you for more of a G.I. Joe kid. But hey, whatever floats your boat."

He laughs, "It was Tanya's doing. I came home from work one day and bada-bing, the guest room was painted."

At the mention of _her_ name, my smile fades and my good-mood is shot to hell._ Huh, I almost forgot about her._ I squirm uncomfortably on the couch and wait for him to continue.

He clears his throat awkwardly, "Um, you got a bit tipsy at the club last night and I offered to bring you home."

"Oh, thanks."

"Yep." He continues rustling through his papers, and the noise makes me want to smack him.

"So, what are you doing?"

"Packing."

"You going somewhere?" I ask, my interest peaked.

"Yeah. I have an apartment down on Fifth Avenue. Thought I'd, you know, live there." He gets up and my eyes follow him as he grabs a cardboard moving box from across the room. "This place is Tanya's parents, and it's not really… me."

"I could tell by the choice of décor. I'm almost afraid to see what's downstairs after seeing the guest room." I snort and he shakes his head in amusement. "Why did you let her fuck up your house?"

"I don't know. It was just easier than arguing I guess."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Edward- my way or the highway- Cullen actually went with the flow? Without arguing?" he blushes and busies himself with shoving one of the stacks of papers into the moving box.

"Yeah, it was just easier that way."

I shake my head in disgust at his lack of a backbone and sit up. "Then why the hell were you marrying her." I mutter to myself. He must have developed some kind of super-sonic hearing, because he hears me and stiffens.

"You have a lot of nerve, judging me." He grits his teeth and shoves papers in angrily, no longer caring if they get crumpled.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" My arms cross over my chest and I glare at him.

"Nothing," he shoots back dismissively.

"It didn't sound like nothing. If you have something to say then say it!"

"She was the only person I had left, Bella!" he yells and throws a handful of papers across the room. "She was there, and I figured 'why the hell not'."

"Oh," I stand up and storm over to him, "Are you talking about when you decided to marry her, or when you decided to fuck her not a week after we broke up?"

He looks as though I've slapped him in the face and opens his mouth to say something before closing it promptly. "That's what I thought." I grab my purse off the floor and storm out of the office.

I make it almost all the way to the front door when I hear a loud _thump_ from upstairs and heavy footsteps racing down the hall. I unlock the door and throw it open, loving the way it sounds as it crashes into the wall. _Hope that leaves a fucking mark._

"Bella, wait!" he calls after me. I ignore him and make my way down the stone steps leading to the driveway. "Bella! Let me explain!"

My eyes flash with anger and I spin around to face him. "No, you don't get to explain!" I shout at him. I vaguely realize that it is, in fact, a Saturday morning and every neighbor on Edward's street is out in their robes socializing. I just can't bring myself to care. "I came to apologize that day." I tell him. He stops right in front of me, never taking his eyes off mine.

"I came to tell you that I was sorry, and to beg for you to forgive me. I had thought about it really hard while we were separated, and I realized that you were all I would ever want." I laugh humorlessly. "I was going to say yes, if the offer was still valid. I was ready to marry you, but I guess I came to that conclusion too late."

His eyes drift to the side, and I see wetness gathering in them making them seem glassy. "Bella," he chokes out. "I-"

"Imagine my surprise when you opened the door in your spider-man undies with some chick I'd never seen asking when you were going to fuck her again. Not exactly the scenario I had in my mind." I jab at him.

"Bella, please-" he reaches for me and I take a step back, shaking my head.

"I was hurt, but I'm healed now." I stare at him blankly and back up down the driveway. "It doesn't hurt so bad anymore." I feel tears coming to my eyes as I lie and turn around so he won't get the satisfaction of seeing them fall.

I get halfway down the street and chance a look back at him. He hasn't moved. He's staring off into space with his shoulders hunched and a sad expression on his face. _Serves him right. Fucker._ I think to myself, trying to make myself feel better.

I tear traces its way down my face and I quickly wipe it away. _Dammit, I was done crying over Edward._ I take a calming breath and pull my phone out from my bag.

"Hello?" her groggy voice answers after a few rings.

"Hey Al, can you pick me up?"

"Where's your car?" I hear a rusting noise in the background and a loud snore. _Presumably Jasper._

"Wherever Rose and I got pulled over at. Wouldn't surprise me if some Hobo is sleeping in it right now, I didn't get a chance to lock the doors before we were so rudely arrested."

"Where are you?" she asks concernedly.

"Down the street from Edward's place."

She sighs. "I'm on my way. You okay?"

"Oh, just dandy." I roll my eyes, suppressing my feelings. I'll cry later when I'm alone.

She snorts. "I'll be there in a few minutes, kay?" she hangs up before I get the chance to answer.

I throw my phone back in my bag and start to hum. I find a tree on the other side of the street and sit down under it, leaning back into it.

A bright red car pulls up beside me on the street and I try not to pay attention to it. I continue humming my random tune and watch an ant crawl up a piece of grass.

"I didn't know they still allowed prostitutes into the neighborhood." A nasally voice bring my attention to the scantily clad blonde woman standing in front of me. _And I'm the prostitute? Where does she shop, the kids section?_

"Tanya," I nod my head in greeting. "Just a heads up, your boobies popping out." I tell her and return my attention to the ant. _Go little guy, go!_

She snorts. "At least I have some." _Wow, where's she get that one? Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Comeback edition?_ Oh yeah, she probably can't even read.

"Babe, come on." A gruff voice calls from inside the car. I squint my eyes against the sun and peer into the car through the open window. "Let's get your shit, where going to miss the flight."

"Who's that?" I inquire nosily.

"That's Riley," she shoots back and smirks. "Funny how I can have two men while you can't even keep one." I clamp my mouth shut, trying not to voice one of the many thoughts that come to mind. Her hooker heels clack against the pavement as she jumps back into the drivers' seat of the car and speeds off. _She was cheating on Edward the whole time?_

I feel a pang of sympathy for Edward. I wonder if he'll ever find out.

"Hey babe, you want a ride?"

I laugh at Alice's 'sexy' voice, as she calls it, and jump off the ground. "I don't come cheap." I joke and hop into the passenger's side of her Porsche. She playfully ouches my arm and drives off down the street.

"So…" she pauses and watches me from the corner of her eye. I avert my gaze and ignore her. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I shake my head and lean my head against the window. The vibration from the glass as Alice drives only worsens my headache, and I lean back in the seat.

"Something must have happened." She prods.

"I don't know Alice. I hoped that we could be friends, but I don't see how it's possible."

"Why not? When are you two going to realize that you were meant for each other?" she pouts.

"People change Alice." She must sense that I'm done talking about it and stays quiet. "Can you drive me over to the church? PORN should be around there somewhere." She nods and takes a left toward the church. I debate whether or not to tell Alice about Riley and Tanya, but quickly decide against it. _An angry Alice is a deadly Alice, especially while driving_.

"Is that it?" Alice's voice brings me out of my daydream. It was a good one. Edward and I were at the park from our second date and we were laying in the shade cloud-gazing. Edward saw a dove and I saw poison ivy with fangs. _Good times._

"Aw fuck." Alice pulls up to my once rusty red Nissan on the side of the road. Although I do question if it really is mine. Some hooligan obviously thought it would be funny to spray paint dicks in every color all over the car. My shoulders slump as I stare at it sadly through Alice's Porsche window.

"I don't think that's fixable." She tells me bluntly and rests her hand on my shoulder. I take a deep breath and step out of the car. Not only is there male-genitalia covering every surface of PORN, but the back window is busted out. The inside smells like sweat socks and is covered in a layer of dirt, leaves, and glass shards.

Alice comes up beside me and wraps her arms around my waist. My lip trembles and I feel tears coming to my eyes. "I'm sorry, Bella." I can hear the tears in her voice as well. We had a lot of great times in this car.

A large blue truck pulls up in front of PORN and a rugged guy with a lumber-jack beard hops out. "Alright, nothing to see here." His voice booms out. "Damn hooligans," he whispers under his breath.

"Um, what are you doing?" I ask as he pulls a line of chain from the back of his tow-truck.

"I'm towing this eye-sore little lady, so I suggest you step aside."

"There's no way we could have fixed it Bella." Alice soothes and rubs my arm.

I sniffle and nod in agreement. "Just be careful with her," I plead with the man as I settle back into Alice's Porsche, "She's a good car." Tears blur my vision, but I'm still able to see the look on the man's face as he watches us drive away. _He probably thinks I'm fucking psychotic._

"What are you going to do hun?" Alice turns to me after she pulls into my apartment complex.

"Curl up on the couch with a tub of ice cream and watch Human Centipede."

"Human Centipede? That bad huh?"

"Yep. It always makes me feel better to know that my day could have been worse."

"Yeah," she snorts, "You could have your head shoved up some chicks' ass." We giggle like the sick freaks we are. "Are you going to be okay?" she asks me seriously.

I nod. "I'll be fine." I smile sadly and open the door.

"Hey," She stops me before I can close it again. I stick my head back in and look at her expectantly. "Follow your heart. Don't let the past get in the way of what could be."

I nod, closing the door and she drives away. I jog up the steps and slide my card through the slot to get into the main lobby.

"Hey Chuck," I nod as I pass by the 'doorman.' He's about seven hundred years old and has worked here since they built the place back in '81. He smiles and tips his hat, making me giggle.

"Hold it!" I yell out to the man standing behind the closing elevator doors. His hand shoots out and stops them from closing. I jog in and hit the number '4' on the keypad. "Thanks," I smile at him. He must be new because I'm sure I would have remembered him. His dark eyes are friendly and so is his smile. He has black shaggy hair sticking to his forehead with sweat. My eyes travel involuntarily down his body and stop on his chest visible beneath his tight white tank-top. He has a toned chest and tan-skin with a tribal band inked around his upper-arm.

"Anything for a pretty lady." I blush and shake my head. "Sorry, that was really cheesy." He laughs and adjusts the luggage in his arms, sticking one out for me to shake. "I'm Jake. I just moved here."

"Bella," I grab his hand. It's warm and slightly sweaty. I smile and drop it, trying to discretely wipe the wetness off on my pant leg.

"God, I'm such a dick. I should've wiped my hand off first." He jokes and steadies the luggage with his free arm.

"Nah, I love feeling other people's sweat."

He snorts. "That sounds like a personal problem."

"You need some help?"

"God, I thought you'd never ask." He teases. "Can you just grab that bag off the floor?" he asks as the elevator dings and the doors slide open.

"Sure." I follow him out and down the hallway to room 403. I glance across the hall to my own dilapidated apartment room 409. _Awkward._

"Well neighbor, it looks like you got the shitty view."

"Neighbor?"

"Yep, that's me." I point across the hall.

"Huh," he pushes his own door open, "Doesn't look like you. You're not that square."

"Oh haha," I fake laugh and drop the bag by the door.

"Your money doesn't go far here in terms of housing, does it?" he asks as he takes in the 700 square foot flat and crusty window with a view of the garbage cans behind the building.

"Nope," I pop the 'p'. "Where you from anyway?" I pull myself up to sit on the kitchen counter right by the door.

"Texas."

"Everything's bigger in Texas." I comment and take a look around his flat. It's identical to mine only everything's flipped, and I have a better view. _If you call a parking lot a good view._ "You got anymore stuff you need help moving?"

"Nah, left it all there." He shrugs. "I'll just start new, you know?" I nod my head in understanding. My stomach growls and fills the silence. _Shit, when was the last time I ate?_ "Whoa there," Jake laughs.

"Shut up dickwad." I jump down from the counter and make my way toward hallway. "I'll be right across the hall in case you need a cup of sugar." I joke.

"How about dinner?" he follows me out and leans casually against the doorframe.

_Hm, I did have a date with human centipede and a tub of Ben and Jerry's. _Oh well. "Alright," I shrug and pull my keys from purse unlocking my apartment. "I'll meet you in like a half-hour?"

"Sounds good." He throws me a dimply smile, "Oh and Bella?" I turn around to face him. "Love the shirt." He wiggles his eyebrows and disappears behind his door. _What?_

It's not until I get into the house and really think about what he said do I realize that I'm still wearing what I wore to crash Ed- _His_ wedding.

I look down, and pair of squirrel eyes are staring at me asking if I'm impressed with the size of his nuts.

"Shit." _Talk about first impressions._

**What'cha guys think? You didn't really think Edward and Bella would instantly forgive did you?**

**Sorry for such a late update, real life has really been getting in my way.**

_**No excuse.**_

**Well, sorry. I have been busy you know.**

_**You should have made time!**_

**Oh shut up.**

**Oh god, I'm talking to myself. I must be going insane… Anyway, I'll try to update as soon as humanly possible :)**

** Just a heads up, reviews keep me sane…**

**P.S. I have been toying with the idea of Bella having a dog… Good idea? Bad idea? Anyone have any name suggestions?**


	6. Chapter 6

**As always, I dedicate this chapter to everyone who takes the time to review :) You guys make my day!**

**In addition to owning Twilight, Stephenie Meyer also reminded me to tell you guys to review :)**

I fumble with the lock on the door, trying to simultaneously switch on the lights and am met with two beady eyes glaring back at me. _Oh, shit_. "Hey buddy," I laugh nervously. "Are you hungry?" I throw my purse on the floor and kick off my shoes. "Hehe," I chuckle awkwardly under his scrutinizing stare. "Mama's sorry buddy," I apologize and ruffle his hair. His glare doesn't waver, and he doesn't react to my mussing up his hair. _Jeeze he must be mad, Mr. Tinkles doesn't let anyone who touches his hair out alive._

"Come on Mr. Tinkles, I'll get you some food." I call out enticingly and make my way over to the cabinet. I grab the pink bag of crunchies and scoop some into his bowl. "Come on Mr. Tinkles." I call and return the bag to the cabinet. "Tink!" I shout angrily. I immediately hear the sound of his collar jiggling as he hops into the kitchen. _I swear that dog thinks he's a fucking rabbit_.

He makes his way to the edge of the tile in the kitchen and sits back, staring at me. "Tink," I plead. "Don't do this! I have to be ready in," I glance at the Batman clock on the wall, "Twenty minutes!" he stares at me and I can practically hear him cussing me out. _He'd totally flip me off if he could._ "Fine," I stomp my foot, "Don't eat. Shrivel up and die and see if I care." He whines and lays down looking up at me with his big eyes and I immediately feel guilty.

"Aww, I didn't mean it," I coo and crouch down next to him. He licks my hand and I giggle. "Come on, buddy. Momma has to change." I pat his head and he jumps up to follow me to my bedroom, his stumpy tail wagging all the way.

I decide to wear my floral sundress and a leather bomber with my infamous chucks that I've had since high school. There's so much sharpie caked on, you can hardly tell they used to be white. I'm knotting the laces when I'm pulled into a memory I've tried so hard to suppress.

"_God Bella, when are you going to trash those things and get a new pair?"Alice nags from across me at the lunch table. My foot is in Edward lap as his sharpie moves across my shoes._

"_Uh, never?" I cock my eyebrow at her, "I love these things."_

"_Why don't you marry them?"Emmett snorts and shoves his tuna sandwich in his mouth._

"_Oh, that's a great idea! I'll walk down the aisle in them when I get married! Thanks Emmet."I announce, only half kidding. Edward caps his marker and pulls me into his lap._

"_I thought you were never getting married." He whispers and kisses me neck right below my ear._

"_I'm not," I whisper against his neck, "This is just a hypothetical case." I feel him smile and nuzzle into my neck._

"_God I love you."_

I absentmindedly trace the words he wrote that day. _Property of Edward Cullen,_ in big letters and _I love you baby_, in his neat cursive underneath. The first words to be written on my shoes that started the tradition. Everyone I knew at the time had written on them at least once, but I never let anyone overlap Edwards'. Sean Bingham had tries in senior year, and he ended up in the hospital with a broken finger. _I warned him_.

My phone ringing from the other room breaks me out of my haze and I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I rush over to my purse and check the caller ID. _Edward._ Ha, I don't think so buddy. I ignore the call and flip the volume down to silent.

A knock on the door makes me jump and Tink growls fiercely. Well, as fierce as a seven pound ball of fluff can. I roll my eyes at him and open the door. Jake is leaning on the other side of the doorway with a small smile on his face. "Hey," I greet him, "You can come in. I just need to grab my purse.

"Thanks." He steps in and I close the door behind him. _Don't need that old perv from next door creeping around my apartment._ "You clean up nice." He comets and makes himself at home on my couch.

"Thanks?" I crinkle my face in thought, unsure if he's complimenting how I look now or insulting how I looked before. Tink jumps up next to him on the couch and growls.

"Aww, aren't you such a cute girl." Jake coos and reaches for Tink's hair.

"No-" I try to warn him, but am too late. Jake ruffles his hair and Tink nips at him. Jake laughs in surprise and Tink lunges at his face.

"Ah! Get it off!" he squeals like a little girl.

"Tink!" I command and shake his favorite treat bag. His ears perk up and he forgets about Jake, running over to get a treat. Of course he came because I called him, not because of the treats. _Right, and I'm Oprah in disguise_.

"Sorry," I apologize and sit next to Jake on the couch. "He hates it when people touch his hair."

"He?" Jake rubs the slobber off his face and wipes it on his jeans. _Gross._ I nod and he eyes Tink carefully. "But it's name is Tink. Like Tinkerbell."

"Nope. Tink as in Mr. Tinkles."

His eyebrows shoot up and he looks at me like I'm crazy. "Mr. Tinkles?" he repeats slowly.

"Yep." I nod, "We found him on the side of the road on the way home from Vegas and had to keep him. Of course at that point we thought he was a 'she.'" I explain. "We originally named her Tinkerbell, but when we got her home, she lifted her leg and pissed on Edwards's truck," I giggle at the memory. "Then we realized a sex change had taken place somewhere on route 66 and a name change was in need. Tink had already sort of stuck, so we changed his name to Mr. Tinkles." I realize I'm rambling and stop myself from going on into detail hoe Mr. Tinkles lived up to his name, all over Edward and I's apartment.

"Who's Edward?" He asks after a minute with a interested expression.

_That's all he got out of my rant? Edward? _"He's an ex," I internally sob at the name, "He doesn't matter, not anymore." I stand up and grab my purse off the kitchen counter. "Ready to go?" I ask cheerfully, changing the subject.

"Sure. Lead the way, I'm new to this town." I pat Tink's back, careful to avoid her hairdo, and Open the door for Jake. "I don't like that thing. It gives me the creeps." Jake shudders and practically sprints out of my apartment. "And it's totally a chick, it just doesn't know it."

"Yeah." I snort and hit the lobby button in the elevator. "We used to think he was confused. You know, sexually. He'd always chase after the boy dogs at the park."

"Oh god," he snorts. "I believe you own the world's first Gay Maltese Mrs. Swan."

"Um, I don't remember telling you my last name." I chuckle awkwardly as the elevator dings open. I send him a sideways glance and he blushes.

"Yeah," he rubs the back of his neck. "I may or may not have Googled you."

"Hm" I tap my chin and follow him out to the parking lot. "You're not a creepy stalker are you?" I joke, only half-kidding.

"No, no. Not at all. I just like to know my neighbors, you know."

"Sure, sure." I dismiss and start walking down the darkening street.

"Um, where're you going?" Jake asks as he catches up to me.

"I thought we'd walk. One because I no longer have a car and Two we're only going across the street." I point down to the little hole in the wall bar, "Eclipse. Best food in New York. Plus the inside is pretty kick ass."

"Sure, sure," he throws my own words back at me.

"Hey," I tease, "That's my saying.

"Eh, let's just say I absorbed it." He bumps my shoulder and I playfully slap his shoulder.

"Dick," I tell him and stick out my tongue.

"Bitch," he shoots back. _Oh yeah, this friendship'll be just fine_.

"Can I see some ID?" Eclipse's bouncer stops us at the door.

"Hey Bernard." I greet him and flash him my driver's license as Jake pulls his out of his pocket. He smiles at me sweetly and lets us through.

"So you're a regular here?" Jake leans in closer so I can hear him over the music and conversation.

"Eh, maybe." I shrug. "But I know Bernard from the apartment; he lives on the floor above us." Jake nods and his eyes light up when he spots the bar.

"Damn," he whistles as he scans décor in the bar area. It is a really nice place, and you'd never guess it from the outside. The actual bar is made of glass and lit from the side with a bright blue light, giving it a glowing effect. The bartenders make entertain everyone by making a show of hoe they mix the drinks. "This place is awesome."

"Come on," I grab his hand and pull him over to watch the bartender throwing around the glasses and liquor before mixing a drink and pouring it into a cup. "Cool right?" I laugh at his awed expression. "Can I get a beer?" I ask to the barman in front of me. "Budweiser, thanks." He nods and smiles, and I try to ignore the way his gaze stops on my chest.

"Me too, thanks." Jake asks him without taking his eyes off of the liquor wall behind the bar. The whole wall is glass shelving lined with every alcohol know to man. I smirk at his enthusiasm.

"Come on," I grab our beers and drag him away from the bar to the back room with tables and chairs set up. It's a bit quieter and easier to have a conversation. "So, how do you like New York so far?" I question and sit back in a chair by the window so we have a view of the city lights.

He gazes out the window and shakes his head in amazement. "It's amazing." I smile and sip my beer.

"So what made you move?" he smiles sadly and tears his gaze away from the window.

"Well," he gulps down his beer in one swig, "To make a long story short, my family disowned me and the 'love of my life,'" he uses air quotes, "Cheated on me with her boss. I guess I just needed a fresh start."

"That's understandable. Why's they disown you?" I ask curiously.

He snorts, "Because I didn't want to become a lawyer."

I raise my eyebrows, "That's it? They disowned you for that?" I'm sure I'm gaping like an idiot.

"Yep," he shakes his head. "Their loss right?" he holds his glass up and I bump it with my own. "So, you looked a bit flustered today." He stretches is arms out above his head and I notice his muscles. _Damn_, I lick my lips unconsciously. "Did something happen?"

"Huh?" I snap out of my muscle induced fantasies, "Oh, yeah. Understatement of the year."

"What happened? Friends tell each other that kind of stuff, yes?"

"Sure," I shrug. "I found out that I'm still in love with the man who broke up with me three years ago, and I woke up in his house this morning after he took me home because I got too shit faced after crashing his wedding." I sigh and chug the remnants of my alcohol, suddenly wishing I had ordered something stronger.

"Seems very complex," he scrutinizes me, "Do you think-"

"BELLA!" a booming voice cuts Jake off and I whip around to see who called my name. Emmett's by the bar with Rose jumping up and down, waving his arms.

"Oh god," I turn back to Jake and sink into my seat, hoping they'll go away.

"Who's that?"

"My brother. Don't look," I hiss as he cranes his neck to find my hulk of a sibling. "I can't deal with them right now."

"Too late. Here he comes."

"There you are." Emmett's voice from right behind me makes me jump and almost fall out of my seat. "We tried calling you, but you didn't pick up."

"Yeah, I had my phone on silent. Oh, guys this is Jacob, my new neighbor. Jake this is my brother Emmett and his girlfriend Rosalie."

"Hi," Jake take turns shaking their hands. "It's nice to meet you."

"Don't forget about us!" Alice sings from behind Emmett and I internally face palm. _Jeeze, the gangs all here_. "Hi, I'm Alice!" She introduces herself and launches at Jake. "Mm, you smell really good," she compliments and hugs him.

"Uh, thanks. It's Irish Spring."

"Ew!" Rose and I groan simultaneously.

"What's wrong with Irish Spring?" Emmett asks and takes a seat next to Jake and they look at us expectantly.

"Manly yes," I say in my best Irish accent.

"But I like it too." Rose snorts.

"Who likes what?" someone asks from behind me. _Oh god, no. Please, not him!_ Jake must pick up on my discomfort because he catches my attention and raises his eyebrows. _What,_ he mouths.

I nod my head behind me, _That's Edward, _I mouth back. A look of understanding floods his face and he smiles sympathetically. I spin my beer glass on the table and refuse to look up as he sits down next to me.

"I'm Jake," He breaks the tension and stretches his arm across the table for Edward to shake. I watch from the corner of my eyes as Edward stiffens and shakes his hand. "You're Edward?" Jake hints and pulls back his hand, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Yes, this is my dear brother Edward." Alice rolls her eyes and smacks him. Edward gives a slight smile and ruffles her hair.

"Yes, I'm Edward. It's nice to meet you." Edward nods his head stiffly. _I wonder what crawled up his ass and died._ An awkward silence blankets the table and I stop spinning my glass.

"Well," I stand up and all eyes fly to me, "I'm going to need more alcohol." I give Rose an expectant look and nod my head for her to follow me. Her eyes light up and she hops off her chair to follow me. "Calm down, Rose." I chuckle and grab her hand as we weave through the dancing bodies.

"Sorry, it's just you always gossip with Alice. I'm totally fucking psyched you chose me this time." I give her an odd look, wondering just how many times her mother dropped her as a child. "That is what we're doing, right?" She clarifies. I nod and take a seat in an empty booth out of sight from our table.

"You okay?" she puts her arm around me and smoothes my hair. I shake my head and she slides in closer to me.

"Why does he still make me feel this way? After everything, how can he still get under my skin?"

"You love him." She tells me, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"No I don't," I argue.

"Whatever, bitch. Da-Nile ain't just a river in Europe." She says smugly.

"Um, Rose. I think the Nile is in Africa."

"God dammit Bella, I've been waiting to use that joke forever, and you ruined it!" She seethes and with drawls her arm from my shoulders, crossing them across her chest. I raise my hands in a surrendering gesture and apologize. "Whatev's Bells. Anyway, back to your problem."

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, suddenly not wanting to talk about Edward. "Um, let's just go back." I shake my head and scoot out from the booth, accidentally backing into someone. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I-" Edwards green eyes cut off my apology. "Oh, it's you."

"Um, yeah." He smiles crookedly and rubs the back of his neck. "Can we talk?" I start to shake my head in protest, but his hands cup my face gently, stopping me. "Please Bella. Ten minutes is all I ask."

I glance over to Rose, but she's too busy trying to lick her elbow to notice me. "Look guys, its impossible!" she laughs and extends her tongue farther. _Next time, I'm asking Alice, bitch_.

"Alright, ten minutes." I try to act nonchalant while I really feel like shitting a brick. I weave my way through the club without checking to see if _He's_ following until I reach the front entrance. I step outside and shiver in the cool air, turning to meet Edward's nervous eyes. He wraps his arms around his chest to keep warm and stares off into the distance, opening and closing his mouth every once in awhile.

"So…" I trail off awkwardly after a few minutes of silence. "You wanted to talk?"

**So… Chapter six! Finally! What do you think Edward has to say, hm?**

**I know, I know, it's taken me waaay too long to update and I apologize. Life has been completely kicking my ass and I haven't had ANY spare time. Okay, I'll stop complaining. I hope to have chapter seven up by next week, but I can make no guarantees… I promise I'll post the second I finish the chapter though.**

**And yes, Bella has a dog named Mr. Tinkles, cuz why wouldn't she name it that? Sorry, I couldn't resist :)**

**Reviews anyone?**


	7. Chapter 7

**I want to thank everyone who has favorited (**_**Is that a word? Eh, it is now**_**.) and reviewed this story! You guys are amazing :)**

**In addition to owning Twilight, Stephenie Meyer also reminded me to tell you guys to review…**

"_Alright, ten minutes." I try to act nonchalant while I really feel like shitting a brick. I weave my way through the club without checking to see if He's following until I reach the front entrance. I step outside and shiver in the cool air, turning to meet Edward's nervous eyes. He wraps his arms around his chest to keep warm and stares off into the distance, opening and closing his mouth every once in awhile. _

"_So…" I trail off awkwardly after a few minutes of silence. "You wanted to talk?"_

"How are you?"

"Um," I chuckle humorlessly. _This is what he wanted to talk about?_ "I'm fan-fucking-tastic. How about yourself?"

"Oh, well. I'm doing okay I guess." He looks down at his feet and kicks the sidewalk distractedly. After about a minute of watching him pummel the same spot with his shoe, I snap.

"That's great. Can I go now?" I ask sweetly, already eyeing the door for the best escape route around him. _I can probably catch him off guard and run around back inside and hide somewhere._ I ponder for a moment. _Or I could punch him in the throat and run away while he's down._ Hmm, that sounds like a better plan.

"I'm sorry." His voice brings me out of my dream of him rolling on the floor in pain like baby. _Jeeze Bella, when did you become such a heartless bitch?_

"What for, hm? Leaving me for some slut? Blaming me for something that was clearly both of our faults? Walking out on me? Take your pick." I cross my arms and glare at him, contemplating punching him a little lower.

He sighs and his green eyes meet mine. I'm taken aback by the sadness they hold, and suddenly feel bad for my thoughts of kicking his dick. "Bella, if I made a list of all the things I was sorry for, I could probably make it to the moon."

"You got that right," I mumble under my breath. Whether he hears it or not, he doesn't comment. He takes a step closer and his arms uncross, reaching for my hands that are dangling limply by my sides. I try to resist, but I'm too frozen to move. The look in his eyes brings me back to that night three years ago.

"It's impossible for me to remember and apologize everything that I've done wrong, especially in ten minutes. But I'm going to try." He gently takes my hands in his own, and I feel the familiar electricity flowing up my arm. He gently squeezes them and takes another step closer. "I spilled soda on your purple sweatshirt the first day you came to Forks High."

"What-"

I know he hears me, but he ignores me. "On our first date, I smashed your finger in the car door." I smile at the memory and chuckle. His lips curve upward before becoming serious again. "The next day at school, I tripped you on your way to your locker because I didn't see you coming. The first time we kissed, I bit your tongue." I snort and bring my hand to cover my mouth and muffle my laughter. _I can't believe I had forgotten all of this._ "When I brought you home to meet my parents, we wrestled and we both broke an arm tumbling down the stairs. The first time I said I loved you was in the front of the entire school at homecoming."

"That was mortifying," I manage to say before another fit of giggles overtakes me. "You didn't even know it slipped out." He joins in on my laughter and pulls me so we're just inches apart. I try to tell myself that I hate this man, and I shouldn't be within a mile radius of him. _But it feels so right_.

"The first time we made love, I gave you a hickey and your Dad grounded you."

"I can still remember his face," I now have tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard. "I didn't know he could turn _that_ purple." His smile is practically blinding from the low light coming from the club.

"Three years ago I made the biggest mistake of my life." His voice turns serious and his eyes burn with some unnamed emotion. My smile falls from my face and my laughter ceases almost immediately. I try to pull away from him but his arms wrap around my waist, trapping me in his embrace. "I could give you a thousand excuses as to why I did it, but you deserve better than that. You deserve better than me." He shakes his head and his eyes focus on something behind me. "I was a shell Bella. I hid behind Tanya and the money and-"

"And the Ray-Bans," I blurt out, internally cringing at the black glasses that always covered his eyes whenever I would see him in passing at parties.

He smiles ruefully, "And the Ray-Bans. You'll be happy to know I burned them." I muster up the most sincere smile I can manage and watch as his green eyes trace their way around my face, finally meeting my own. He's looking at me like he used to all those years ago, and I gently blink away my tears. _How had I forgotten how much I loved this man? Maybe I still do?_ No. I won't even let myself think it.

"If I could go back in time, Bella, I would do it in a heartbeat." He's whispering as he pulls his hand up to trace my cheek lightly with his thumb, cupping my cheek. "I would give anything to go back. Do I regret the proposal? No, definitely not. Would I have done things differently? Hell yes."

"What are you saying?" I can hear the emotion thick in my own voice, and I'm sure he can hear it too.

His hand stills on my face and drops down to hold my hand. "I love you Bella." He whispers. "I never stopped."

"Edward-" a tear escapes and he brushes it away.

"I know you don't feel the same way. God knows I made sure of that." He shakes his head, looking disgusted with himself. "I don't want to lose you Bella. Give me another chance, I know I don't deserve it, but god I miss you so much!" his eyes look glassy although I can't be sure in the dim lighting. "Just friends, Bella. That's all I need. I know we tried and we ended up fighting, but we can do this! Please, Bella." He pleads. "I'll get down on my knees and beg if that's what it takes."

I wrap my arms around him and crush myself to his chest, cursing at myself for letting his speech turn me into a puddle of mush. "Just be my friend, Edward. I can't give you anything more."

"That's all I want." He squeezes me and nuzzles his head onto the top of my head. _Friends hug, right?_

"So, you agreed to be friends with him again? After what he did to you?" I keep my eyes glued to my feet, not having to look up to see the question in Jake's eyes. We had left the club shortly after Edward and I's make up session, _make up, not make out you perv_, and I proceeded to give Jake all the deets on Edward's and my history on our walk back to our building.

"Just friends." I remind him, as if that makes it any better.

"You must have a real big heart Bells." He tells me. I stop and watch his back as he continues walking. He notices I'm not following and turns around to face me. "What's that supposed to mean?" I prompt and cross my arms.

"Psh, if my ex wanted me back I'd probably hit her over the head with a stick."

"He doesn't want me back. He wants to be _friends._ There's a difference." I defend and keep walking. He catches up moments later and falls into step beside me.

"Um, I know that look he gave you and trust me, he wants more than just 'friends." He makes air quotes and raises his eyebrows. I huff and roll my eyes, already done with this conversation.

"So," I change the subject. "You mentioned and ex you'd like to beat with a stick. Care to explain?"

"Don't think I don't know what you just did." He narrows his eyes. "This conversation isn't over." I nod sarcastically and push the button on the streetlight, waiting for the LED walking guy to flash on the screen on the opposite side of the intersection. "You want to talk about Leah?" he asks and I nod, assuming that's his ex. "Imagine the biggest butch you can," _Jessica Stanley- freshman year in high school until her parents pulled her out when she got pregnant,_ "and multiply it by ten billion." _Hm, not possible._

"She can't be that bad."

"Oh she is." He prods and huffs. "I walked in on her in our apartment riding my ex-best friend like she was at a damn rodeo." I'm about to offer my sympathy, but he pays no attention to me. "So, I eventually forgave her and we moved on. That's what you do for love, isn't it?" I open my mouth to argue, but I'm cut off yet again. "So about a year later, I get home early from a business trip and went home to surprise her. I buy her a nice bunch of roses and some Chinese take-out on the way there and imagine my surprise when I walk in and she's not alone. She was hosting some kind of fucked up orgy or something." I step out into the cross-walk when it's deemed safe and we make our way across the street. "I mean, her fucking brother was there!"

"You mean he was hiding his boat in her love tunnel?" I joke, trying to lift his mood. He snorts and throws his arm around me.

"Needless to say I threw her shit out on the front lawn and packed my own, and was here within a week."

"What a slut." I mumble under my breath.

"Anyway, back to your problems." I start to protest, but he pushes his hand against my mouth, muffling my response. I lick the palm of his hand and he pulls away, squealing like an eight year old girl at a Beiber concert. "I just don't want to see you get hurt. I know I just met you, but I really like you." His forehead scrunches up and he looks down at me. "Like a sister, you know."

"What, I'm not worthy to be a date?" my hands fly to my hips and I glare up at him, daring him to agree.

"Of course you are Bells. But I see us more as the wrestle on the floor and eat ice cream while I beat the shit out of you in Call of Duty type than the couple who makes love under the stars and shit."

I look him up and down and concentrate deeply. _Could I imagine myself engaging in the horizontal tango with this man?_ Eh, he's hot as fuck, but I just don't see it. "I agree."

"Good, I'm glad that's settled." He teases. "No love making under the stars." He snorts and I shove him off the curb.

Someone sounds like he has voyeuristic tendencies." I mock, "Just keep it down, I don't need to hear that shit." He salutes me playfully and holds open the door to our apartment building. I wave to Chuck and he smiles back as we make our way over to the elevators. I hit our floor and back up into the corner. I stew in my own thoughts as we stand side-by-side in the elevator. _Damn, I hate this fucking music_.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Huh?" I look over at Jake, almost forgetting he was there.

"You look like you might bust a brain vessel over there. What'cha thinking about?" I roll my eyes at him and watch the numbers increase above the old elevator door.

"Nothing. Everything."

"Edweirdo?" I laugh at Jake's nickname for him.

"Maybe." The door dings as it slides open and we make our way down the hall.

"Just be careful with him, Bella."

"I know."

"You love him." It's not a question and I look up at him in surprise. He has a knowing look on his face and I sigh.

"I know." I reply dejectedly, more to myself than him.

"Well," Jake stretches and unlocks his door. "I'm right next door if you ever need to talk." I thank him and he smiles at me as he disappears into his apartment.

I greet Tink as I kick off my shoes and throw my bag somewhere in the room. I grab the remote and flop back on the couch, not bothering to change my clothes. I flick through channels until I reach animal planet and wrinkle my eyes in disgust as tow monkeys go at it in a tree. _How can they televise this shit? Human porn is illegal, but monkey porn is okay?_

"Tune in next week for the exciting conclusion of Monkey Spank brought to by Viagra for men…" Are they serious with this shit? _Monkey Spank?_ Jesus what has T.V. come to these days. I turn it off and throw the remote down to the floor, reveling in the complete silence.

I stretch my arms behind my head and stare up at the ceiling processing everything that has happened in the past 24 hours. I close my eyes trying to rest my brain by counting sheep on my eyelids, but somewhere along the way they turn into a giant monkey dry humping a tree. I can't help but wonder if it's some kind of screwed up omen.

_Fuck, I need help_.

**Hey everyone, so so sorry for the long wait! Please forgive me! I won't be able to update as often what with the holidays coming up and all, but I'll try to find as much time as I can here and there and update ASAP.**

**So, is anyone excited for Breaking Dawn part one? I know I am; Robert Pattinson on the big screen? Mm, yummy. **

**Reviews are better than Edward professing his love for you in front of a bar in Seattle. Okay, maybe not, but you get the point. Leave me one on your way out!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I know what you're thinking… Finally an update! I know, I know, there's an apology at the bottom…**

**Anyway, I give you the (too) long awaited chapter 8! And as always, this chapter is dedicated to everyone who takes the time to review! Feedback is much appreciated!**

**Twilight? Nope, still don't own it.**

I'm on the edge of my seat, waiting in anticipation as Matt Damon races across the screen dodging bullets. "Run faster!" I scream and shove another spoonful of chocolate ice cream into my mouth. He smashes through a window and I gasp in surprise. _Whoa, when did that window get there?_ "Go, Bourne! Go!" I chant. He rolls off the floor and continues running.

I hear a knock in the distance and wonder briefly what it is. I settle back into the couch as Matt Damon gets away and continue to eat my Dreyer's in peace. There's a knock again and I roll my eyes. "It's open!" I call out. There's a brief squeak of the door as it opens and closes and I hear a coat being taken off and set on the table.

"Bella," the dreamy voice sounds exasperated. "I could have been a fucking robber, and you would have let me in your apartment."

"But you aren't a _fucking robber_, Edward." I tease, trying to slow the sudden jump in my heart rate and discretely wipe off my sweaty palms. _Just friends_.

"Bella," he says seriously. I huff and turn around to look at him. My eyes widen. How is it possible for someone to look _that_ delicious in grey sweats and a green long-sleeve?

"Edward," I mock. "What are you even doing here at," I glance at the wall clock. "Five a.m. on a Sunday morning?" I raise an eyebrow in question. He blushes and shuffles his feet nervously.

"I, uh…" he trails off and holds up a Wal-Mart bag. "Here," he quickly makes his way over to the couch and sits beside me. I grab the bag suspiciously and peek inside it.

"_Fuck_," I mutter dreamily and shove the chocolate Dreyer's off my lap. I rustle through the bag and pull out the Ben and Jerry's Rocky Road and two spoons. "Um, sorry buddy." I hand him a spoon. "I didn't share then, and I don't share now." I pull off the lid and take a bite, moaning at its deliciousness.

He lets out a fake cough and smiles. "I'm glad you like it."

"No," I mumble, my mouth full of BJ's, "I hate you right now. Can't you tell I'm dieting?" I mock glare and point to my low-fat chocolate sitting sadly on the coffee table. "You never answered my question. What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep." He shrugs and pulls something out of the Wal-Mart bag. _Funny, all I saw in there was ice cream._ Shows you what kind of girl I am.

"So you immediately thought, 'hey let me go bug Bella while she's having a Matt Damon fest'." He glances at the T.V. ad smiles ruefully. You always did have a thing for Matt Damon.

"What can I say," I shrug, "He's a nice chunk of man."

"Well, I drove by and couldn't help but notice your lights were on…" he trails off. "And I came with entertainment." He hands me a DVD.

"You have my attention." I grab the DVD. "Dinocroc VS. Supergator?" I laugh at the cover.

"Apparently it's a new Sci-Fi channel original."

I giggle and hand it back. "Put it in!" I snuggle deeper into the couch and take another spoonful. He fiddles with the DVD player for awhile before he finally figures out where the power button is and slides the movie in. The beginning credits start to roll and he shuts off the lights, making it seem like more of a movie theatre. He pauses in front of the couch and glances at the chair across the room, as if debating where to sit.

I pat the seat next to me. "Friends can sit next to each other, Edward."

"Right," he attempts to be nonchalant as he settles next to me and pulls my blanket over the both of us. I glance at his profile out of the corner of my eyes in the flickering light of the television. His entire face lights up as he smiles at something on the screen, and I feel myself smiling too. How can he still have this affect on me? _After all these years?_ His eyes flick towards me and I quickly turn away, embarrassed at being caught staring.

He wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him. "Are you getting the feeling of déjà vu?" he asks after awhile. I giggle as the oversized crocodile makes its first appearance on the screen and snaps at a group of unsuspecting tourists.

We both laugh at the horrible effects. "What? You mean the late night bad movies and ice cream?" I tease. "Yes." I answer truthfully. His eyes meet mine in the dim light and he smiles. "I'm glad you came." He leans in, and our faces are just inches apart.

"I couldn't stay away." He whispers seriously. I stretch toward him and lean my forehead against his. He leans in closer, and a loud scream causes us to jump apart. On the screen, Supergator has just eaten his first victim. I glance up at Edward and blush. _Was he about to kiss me? Did I _want_ him to kiss me?_

Yes, yes I did.

He clears his throat awkwardly. "Well, that dude just got served." He bobs his head and I snort, smacking his arm playfully.

"You're so cheesy." And just like that, the tension is gone.

"Bella?" a soothing voice whispers my name. "Bella, baby. Wake up." Someone runs their hands gently through my hair and I relax into the comforting feeling. "Bella." The voice is a little louder. The hand stops and I grumble in protest.

I have the sudden feeling like I'm flying and my eyes shoot open. I let out a scream of surprise and slap whoever's carrying me down the hallway. Edward lets out a groan of pain and drops me on my bed.

"What the _fuck_?" he whispers angrily and rubs his reddening cheek where I smacked him.

"Edward?" I glance at him in surprise. The night comes rushing back- the movie, the ice cream- and I jump up. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" I swat his hand away and rub his cheek with my own.

"Jesus, you have a nice right hook." He extends his jaw.

"I am Charlie's daughter." I smirk. "He trained me in self defense when I was like… three." I unconsciously pinch his cheek and he winces in pain. "Oh, shit. I'm sorry!" I flick on the light. "Well, that's what you get for surprising me like that!"

"Well, you wouldn't wake up! Jesus, you sleep like the dead!"

"Do you want some ice? Or a doctor?"

"No, I'll be fine." I wince as he uncovers his swelling cheek and looks at himself in the bathroom mirror. "You're lucky I didn't drop you." He chuckles, trying to ease the tension.

"Edward," I whine, "I feel terrible, let me do something."

"Maybe a little ice…" he trails off.

"I'm on it!" I race into the kitchen and grab an ice pack. "All I have is Hello Kitty." I apologize. I grab his hand and push him down onto the bed, gently resting the ice on his face. He winces and I apologize.

"Stop apologizing, Bella." He rolls his eyes. "You missed the Dinocroc/Supergator fight scene." He informs me.

I smirk. "You sure know how to pick the winners." I hand him the ice pack and sit next to him, trying to ignore the fact that Edward is sitting on my bed in my bedroom. I glance at the clock. "It's seven ten." I tell him. "You can stay for awhile, if you want." I yawn... "I happen to know my couch is quite comfortable.

"Stop yawning, woman! They're contagious." He covers his mouth to hide his own yawn. "No, I really should go." He tells me and hands me the ice pack. He stands and is about to say something, but is cut off by a round of excessive barking.

"Shit, Tink." I curse and sprint down the hallway. I fumble with the screen door leading out to the small balcony of the apartment and he comes charging in, running into the kitchen cabinets. I completely forgot I had let him out to piss on his square of fake grass when I got home last night.

"Bella?" I look over to Edward as I lock up the sliding door. Tink is sniffing his socked feet, his tail wagging a mile a minute. "You- Tink?" he sputters out and crouches down to pet him. Tink barks and runs around Edward in circles. "You kept him."

"Of course I kept him. He's my baby." Tink runs over to me and gives me a sniff before taking off to Edward again. "I think he remembers you." I tease.

"Hey buddy." Edward scratches his ears and laughs as Tink licks him. "I missed you, Tinks."

Mr. Tinks eventually looses interest and runs off to find a piece of furniture to hump, leaving Edward and I alone. "I really should go…" he trails off reluctantly. "I promised Alice and my parents I'd go out to brunch with them."

"Esme and Carlisle are in town?" I ask.

"Yeah," he rubs the back of his neck. "They came for… the wedding, and they decided to stay a bit longer." He rushes out. I nod in understanding and try to ignore the pang of jealousy I get whenever I think about his _wedding_. _Relax, Bella. He stopped it, he's not married_.

"Oh, you should go then." I nod in acceptance.

"For the record," he tells me as he slips on his old Chucks. "I would rather stay." He stands up and takes my hands in his, pulling me in for a hug.

"For the record," I mumble softly into his chest. "I would rather you stay too." he squeezes me tighter and rocks us gently back and forth. I pull back reluctantly and he pouts. "Would you like to take your movie?"

"Nah, keep it." He makes his way to the door. "We can make a new collection. 'Bella and Edward's horrible Sci-Fi movies- take two'." I giggle as he open the front door.

"It's a little long," I joke as he steps out into the hallway. He ponders this for a moment and shrugs.

"Eh, there are a lot of bad movies out there." He smiles crookedly. "I had fun, thanks for not kicking me out." His eyebrows furrow and he mock-glares at me. "And keep your door locked. _Please_?" he begs. I nod in acceptance, internally sticking my tongue at him. He starts to walk away, and I lose my inhibition.

"Edward," I grab his arm and stop him. I rest my arms on his chest and stand on my tip-toes until out faces are just inches apart. His hands come to my waist and he rubs soothing circles against my hips. I lean up farther and close the distance, brushing my lips lightly over his. "Thank you, for coming over. It was the most fun I've had in…a long time;" He smiles against my lips and pulls me in for another chaste kiss. I blush and hug him again tightly before turning back to my apartment. We grin at each other teenagers after their first kiss.

"Thank you," he finally breaks the silence.

"For what?"

"A second chance." With that, he kisses my forehead and makes his way down the hall, disappearing as the elevator doors slide shut behind him. I sigh dreamily and slide down the wall until I'm sitting in the hallway, staring at closed elevator doors.

"Just friends, huh?" I jump at Jake's unexpected voice. His eyebrows are pulled up questioningly and his arms are crossed over his chest as he leans against his doorframe.

I glare at him and pull myself off the floor, dusting off my sweats. "Spying, much?" I accuse. He rolls his eyes.

"Whatever Babe," he points his finger at me. "You got it bad."

"I do not!" I lie and stomp my foot.

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"Um, do too." he insists. "Don't sweat it, chicka. I got your back. You ever need someone to rough him up a bit…" he trails off expectantly.

"I'm fine Jake, thanks."

He raises his arms in surrender. "Hey, just putting it out there." He smiles jokingly. "Anyway, you should hit the sack. You look like death." He laughs and slams his door shut.

_Fuck_. I think and race back into the apartment looking for a mirror. I head to the bathroom and nearly shit my pants when I look at my reflection. My hair is puffy and sticking up in all direction, and I have black circles running under my eyes. _Well if this didn't send him running, nothing will,_ I think bitterly. I shut off the lights grumpily and slide under my sheet, trying to get to sleep before the light streams through the windows and makes it impossible.

I'm at that perfect state- the one where you're not quite awake, but not quite asleep. Edward and I are having a picnic in a deserted park. It's warm and the flowers are blooming. We're eating tuna and potato salad, and watching the sunset along the horizon. There's Rocky Road in the cooler too, if I'm not mistaken. Edward's lips are moving, but the dream me just smiles, not quite sure what he's saying. Dream me gets impatient with him and pulls him in for a steamy kiss. Things are getting heated, and dream me starts undoing the buttons on Edward's shirt. He pushes it off of himself and turns to dream me, his eyes burning with-

_I like big butts and I cannot lie  
>You other brother's can't deny,<br>When a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist  
>And a round thing in your face, you get sprung!<em>

Dream Edward pulls his shirt back on and kisses my cheek as he slowly fades away. Dream me grabs for him, but comes up empty and alone on a checkered blanket in the park.

"No, no, no!" I mumble and thrash around in my bed. I squint as the light comes through the window and hits me in the eye. _Nine fucking thirty?_ Who the _hell_ is calling me at nine fucking thirty on fucking Sunday morning?

_I like big butts and I cannot lie  
>You other brother's can't deny,<em>

I scream and throw the covers off me, grabbing my phone. "Motherfucking what!" I yell into the phone.

"Bella?" Alice sobs on the other end. Well jeeze, now don't I feel like a bitch.

"Hey, Ali. I'm sorry-"

"Bella," she cuts me off, her voice breaking.

"Babe, what's wrong?" I ask, concernedly and jump out of bed. I search for an outfit to wear as she continues to sob on the other end. "Alice, I'm not a mind reader. You have to tell me what happened." I slip on a long sleeve and deem my sweat-pants worthy of public. "Do you need me to come to you? Where are you? At home?" I slip on my old converse and wait for her to calm down.

"We're at the hospital, Bella." She cries. "Please, we need you! He needs you!"

"Ali, babe. What happened? Why are you at the hospital?" I ask, my panic rising. "Alice!" I yell. "Is everyone okay?"

"There was an accident, Bella!" she sobs. "It's Edward," I stop halfway to the door and nearly drop the phone.

"What?" I ask, hoping I heard wrong. "Alice, what did you say?"

"Edward!" she cries, "He-he-"

"Alice, where are you?" I try not to panic, but I can hear the fear in my voice. _Please, just let him be okay._ "Alice!"

"The hospital- the one by Angeie's Café."

"I'll be there soon, Ali." I tell her confidently, wiping my eyes and searching for the keys to PORN. _Shit, I don't have a car_. "I'll be there." My voice breaks and I hang up before I completely lose it.

I slam the door behind me. "Jake!" I pound on his door desperately. "Jake, please." I beg. He answers the door in seats and an old shirt with a chicken wing hanging out of his mouth.

"Bella?" he drops the wing when he sees me. "Are you alright?" he pulls me close to him.

"I need," I sniffle. "I need you to drive me to the hospital." He nods in acceptance and grabs his keys without asking questions.

"Come one." he pulls me toward the elevator after locking up. I huddle into his chest and let the sobs break free.

_Please, just let him be okay_.

**AHHHHH! Cliffie! *Hides behind Robert Pattinson* Don't hurt me!**

**Okay, so this is the part where I grovel and beg for forgiveness for not updating in SOOOO long! What can I say? The holiday season got the best of me. On that note, I hope everyone had a great Christmas, or Chanukah, or Kwanzaa, or any other kind of celebration… consider this update a belated gift! **

**The first movie mentioned is ****The Bourne Identity****, (Which I also do not own), and the second is ****Dinocroc VS Supergator ****(Yes, it's an actual movie) which I recommend if you are in the mood to laugh at horrible effects and bad acting.**

**So, anyone have thoughts or comments on this chappie? A lot has happened…**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years :)**

**And now *drum roll please* chapter 8! And as always, this chapter is dedicated to everyone who takes the time to review! Feedback is much appreciated!**

**Twilight? Nope, still don't own it.**

"You sure you don't want me to go in with you?" Jake asks for the thousandth time. "You know, for moral support?" He pulls his beat up VW Rabbit up to the hospital.

"That's okay, Jake." I tell him distractedly. "Thanks for driving me, you have no idea how-"

He holds up his hand to stop me and unlocks the car doors. "I understand. You can count on me, remember?" I smile at him gratefully and step out of the car. "Hey Bella?" he calls out the open window. "Call me if you need anything else, kay?"

"Thanks, Jake." I wave to him and take off toward the glass hospital doors, pushing my way past the people dawdling out front. I swing the doors open and race to the lobby, silently cursing Alice for not telling me where she and Esme are waiting.

There are at least forty people lined up behind the lobby desk, and one frazzled looking nurse in scrubs trying to sort through everyone's problems. I get in line behind a thirty-ish woman and grimace as she coughs right on me. "Would you cover that thing?" I hiss at her angrily.

"Oh-ho." She waggles her finger at me. "Forgive _me_ for contracting an illness Miss-perfect!" she spits out, followed by a moist coughing fit.

"Listen here, lady," I take a step closer to her, not caring that I'm causing a scene. "I need to get through this _fucking_ line ASAP, and I'd rather not come out of it with your fucking germs all over me." She puffs out her chest and glares, but says nothing. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Cullen?" I hear a gruff voice shout over the din of conversation in the lobby. My heart jumps and I look around the sea of heads for Esme or Alice. "Isabella?" Someone taps my shoulder and I spin around. An older doctor guy in scrubs and a balding head of grey hair inspects me from under his thick glasses. "Isabella Cullen?" he holds up a picture of Alice and me from her twenty first birthday a few years ago. "This you?" _Holy shit, do I have a stocker?_

"Um…" I stutter out and glance around the room looking for a security guard. Not that I think I can't take this guy- _but really, who wants to have to beat the shit out of an old man stocker guy?_

He huffs impatiently. "Isabella Cullen, is this or is this not _you_?"

"Well, yes." I point to the picture. "That's me, but I'm not-"

"Very well then," he grabs my arm and tugs me down a dimly-lit hallway. "Your family is waiting."

"My family?" I ask, confusedly. Last time I checked Charlie was in Seattle and Renee was in Florida with some guy half her age.

Doc rolls his eyes. "Are you as stupid as I think you are, or are you a _really_ good actress?" he mocks. I ignore him as I glance around, taking in my surroundings incase I need to make a break for it.

"Doc, I'm not sure where you're taking me- or why you're calling me Mrs. Cullen- but I think you have the wrong person. I need to get back down to the lobby and-"

"Bella!" someone shouts. Doc releases my arm and I'm immediately assaulted by something small and furry. _Furry?_ "Oh, Bella!" Alice sobs into my neck. "You came!"

"Of course I came, Alice." I sooth and rub her back through her winter fur coat. _Well, that explains the fuzzy sensation tickling my nose_.

"I wasn't sure." She sniffles and pulls back, tugging me over to a small group of people huddles in the corner of the waiting room. "I know you guys aren't on the best of terms. But he kept asking for you, Bella! That's all he wanted."

"What do you mean?" I sit next to Esme and give her a reassuring squeeze.

"Thank you so much for being here Bella," she chokes out and latches onto my hand. "I know it would mean so much to him."

My eyes wrinkle in confusion. "Can someone tell me what happened?" Alice must have hears the tremble in my voice, because she sits in my lap and wraps her arms around my neck. I'm not sure if she's trying to comfort me or herself, but I don't complain.

"Everything was fine." Alice wipes her eyes. "Esme, Carlisle and I met him for breakfast. We ate, and talked… everything was perfect!" she stops as a fresh bout of tears stream silently down her face. "He was so happy."

"What happened?" I turn to Esme dreadfully, hoping she can explain. Although I'm not sure I want to know.

"Alice and I were waiting for Carlisle to get the Mercedes from around the corner… Edward left a few minutes before us." She lets out a small sob and squeezes my hand tighter. "It all happened so fast- one minute he was pulling out of the driveway." She lets out a heart-wrenching choking sound. "It was so loud- the crash." She gets a faraway look in her eye.

"Esme," I squeeze her hand. "Esme, is he okay?" _Please be okay_. I silently beg as I wipe my own tears from my face. "Please, tell me he's okay."

"I-" she takes a deep breath. "He's in surgery now. Carlisle's back there trying to get some answers."

"He's not doing the surgery?" Carlisle is one of the best and well known Surgeons on the East coast.

"He tried, but they wouldn't let him." Her once striking green eyes are red and dulled from crying. I hug her to me tightly.

"They said he was too close to the patient." Alice adds. "Excuse me," she squeezes my shoulder. "I need to call Jasper."

"Alice told me your beloved PORN took a dive?" Esme prompts after awhile, earning us a glare from a young woman in front of us who promptly covers her little boys ears. Esme snorts and smiles softly. _It's a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless_. "How did you get here?"

"My neighbor was kind enough to drive me."

"That was thoughtful." She nods in agreement. "I know how much Edward would love that you were here." I stay silent, not sure how to respond. "He kept calling for you- when we pulled him out." I try to ignore the prickling sensation in my eyes as tears threaten to fall. "I don't think he understood that you weren't there." Her voice cracks at the end.

"Esme," I try to stop her, knowing that if she doesn't I won't be able to control myself.

"He told us about last night," she sniffles and rubs my arm. "I can't remember the last time I saw him so happy. There was a light in his eyes that I haven't seen… well, since you two broke up."

"Esme," I choke out.

"I'm forever in your debt." She tells me seriously. "No matter what anyone says, it was seeing _you_ that stopped him from marrying that witch." She hisses, pushing her caramel-brown hair away from her eyes to look at me squarely. "I know it's been a long time, but I know he cares for you." I move to interrupt, but she holds up a hand to silence me. "It's not my place Bella- and this may not be fair to you- but, we've missed you. All of us." She smiles sincerely and leans back in her chair, resting her head against the wall and leaving me to mull over everything she just said.

"Esme?" I ask after a moment of silence, "Why did that doctor have a photo of me? And why did he call me Mrs. Cullen?" I try to ignore the pleasure I feel as Edward's last name rolls off my tongue.

She smirks. "They were only allowing family in to wait for him." She tells me simply. "Well, it's obvious isn't it?" she prompts at my incredulous look. "We had to say you were his wife for them to let you back with us. Alice had an old picture and Dr. Mawry agreed to look for you in the lobby." She returns to her relaxed position.

"Are- are you worried about him?" I whisper, my voice sounding too high to my on ears. I'm met with silence. "That's a dumb question, of course you are." I chastise myself.

"In a way, yes." She nods, not once opening her eyes, "He's my son- I'd worry about him even if he weren't here. It would be a different type of worry, but yes." I wait for her to elaborate. "My son is strong- and I've always believed that you can overcome any fight, if you have something to fight for." Her eyes flash to mine briefly and she winks. "I'm sure Edward has plenty to fight for."

"Jasper won't be able to get off work for at least another hour." Alice tells us as she re-enters the waiting room. She huffs and plops down beside me. "That dick-head of a boss won't let him out until his report is done." She rolls her eyes. "Any news yet?" she flashes me a hopeful look.

I reluctantly shake my head. "How long has he been in surgery?"

"At least a half hour before I called you." I glance at the clock on the wall.

"It's been two hours." My voice cracks in worry.

"I know." She states simply and watches the door with rapt attention- no doubt wishing Edward would walk through with his crooked smile and a sling humming some tune he thought up while he was away.

My head is resting on Alice's shoulder about ten minutes later when a door labeled 305 opens up to our right. We all jump up when Carlisle's blonde head comes into view next to an older man with a clipboard and bright green scrubs. Carlisle and the doctor shake hands, and Carlisle scans the room for us.

Esme runs into his arms when he's about five feet away and sobs into his chest. "Well?" she whispers.

Carlisle squeezes Esme to his chest and kisses her forehead. "They just completed the surgery… he's stable." I sigh in relief and pull Alice in for a victorious hug. "He should be waking up shortly- once the anesthesia wears off."

"How bad?" Alice whispers.

"Not as bad as we thought. A broken arm and five cracked ribs… other than that he just needed the, um, _shards_ to be removed." He tells us carefully- I can't help but wince at the visual. "He got a blood transfusion to replace what was lost."

"Oh," Esme breaths and burrows herself deeper into Carlisle's embrace. "When can we see him?" Her voice is muffled through his scrubs. "Soon?"

"As soon as he wakes up… three hours maybe?" Carlisle sounds unsure. He pulls her to a chair and sits her down gently. "He's going to be just fine, boo." He placates and kisses her "Just fine. Bella." He turns at me and smiles. "It's so good to see you again, dear." He pulls me in for a comforting hug. "We've missed you." He winks and sits beside Esme.

"Why can't we see him now?" Alice whines.

Carlisle sighs and rests his head on the wall, looking stressed and tired. "He's just come out of surgery, Al. They need to make sure everything's okay before they let everyone in."

"So you didn't see him?" I ask.

"No, they wouldn't let me anywhere near him." He grimaces. "That doctor I was talking to just now- he was the surgeon. He told me Edward'll be just fine, and the minute he wakes up we can go in."

"All of us?" Alice asks, sliding me a sideways glance. "They will let his… _wife_ in, won't they?" She smirks.

"Alice," I threaten.

Carlisle shoots me a confused look, but I shake my hand in a 'don't-ask' manner. "I'm sure we can sneak you in Bells." Carlisle tells me, his smile grateful.

Just then Alice's stomach growls earning a glare from a man beside us and a snort from me. "Ugh, that egg sandwich I had did _not_ agree with me." She moans and holds her stomach. "Bella, come with me to find some crackers or something." She tugs on my arm, pulling me toward the hallway.

"Call us if he wakes up early?" I beg Carlisle, desperate to see Edward with my own eyes. I ignore the pain in my chest as I think of him waking up, broken and alone in an unknown room. I need to be there for him. _As a friend_. Right.

"Of course, Bella." Carlisle waves at us. "I know for a fact he'll want you to be one of the first people he sees."

I feel my heart skip a beat at Carlisle's words. _Don't worry Edward_, I think, _I'll be there_.

**Next chapter will have Edward, I promise! **

**Reviews anyone? You know you want toooo…**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everyone! Chapter ten here... hope you like :)**

**As always, this chappie is dedicated to everyone who takes the extra time to review, thanks you guys! Your input is greatly appreciated.**

**Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight- and sadly, I'm not her. Then again, you probably already knew that.**

"Hurry up, Bella!" Alice drags me toward the trash cans by the cafeteria doors as I attempt to shove the rest of my doughnut in my mouth and guzzle my four dollar water bottle. Carlisle called a few minutes ago. Apparently Edward woke up a half-hour ago, but the doctors are just now letting in family. His message was brief and uninformative, but the relief in his voice was obvious.

Together Alice, Jasper and i make our way through the halls and down the elevator toward the recovery ward. "Ali, baby, I'll wait out here alright?" Jasper stops us as we pass through the now vacant waiting room. He managed to beat traffic and got here a few hours ago, still in his suit and tie.

"Okay," Alice kisses his cheek and steers us down the hall to where Carlisle said they were keeping Edward. "Are we ready for this?" she asks, her hand paused just above the handle. I roll my eyes and push the door open, entering the packed room.

There are four nurses rushing around Edward's side, fiddling with tubes and bottles of medicine. I shuffle across the room with Alice to where Esme and Carlisle are huddled at the foot of his bed, Esme clutching Edward's hand like a lifeline. Carlisle looks up, hearing us enter, and smiles sadly.

"How is he daddy?" Alice whispers, her voice thick with emotion.

"He's…" Carlisle trails off as Edward's head snaps up.

"Alice!" He grins, showing off his perfect white teeth and waves enthusiastically.

"Hey Eddie," she sniffles and holds onto his other hand, squeezing it. "How are you feeling?"

He seems to ponder her question for a second. "Purple."

Alice looks at him for a moment. The nurses sigh and pat Carlisle on his shoulder as they pass by him to the door. One female nurse in pink scrubs remains, scribbling something down on a wooden clipboard. "Purple?" Alice asks slowly and Edward nods. "You feel, purple?"

"He's not quite… himself yet." Carlisle comments.

"Bellsie!" Edward yells when he sees me, followed by a giggle. "Hi!" He waves. He stops abruptly and watches his hand, holding it up to the light with a smile on his face. "Wow…"

"Edward," I whisper, more to myself than anyone else.

"Hey, did you guys know… I have five fingers!" he wiggles his hand and laughs. "Look!"

The nurse clears her throat. "We gave him some more medication for the pain…" she trails off and Carlisle nods in understanding. "We should be able to cut back on his dosage soon and he won't be so-"

"Wow! What is that?" Edward cuts her off, reaching for a bottle of water on the table beside his bed. "It's sparkly! Like a… like a… Hi Bella!" he waves again, as if he just saw me for the first time. "Come, come." He crooks his finger at me. "Sit with me." He pouts and pats the bed next to him.

I glance at Carlisle and Esme, waiting for the okay before making my way over to him. "And who are you? This is family only." The nurse prompts and cocks her eyebrow at me. "If you're not family, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"She's family." Edward defends, crossing his arms. Well- the best he can with his arm in the sling. He winces and drops his arms. "Ow."

"Edward," I sigh, trying not to cry at how venerable he looks laying broken in the bed. I gently sit next to him so as not to jostle him too bad. I push his hair out of his eyes and he grabs my hand, inspecting it against the light.

"Hey, you have five fingers too!" he smiles crookedly and kisses my palm. "I like your fingers Bella." He looks up at me from under his lashes. "I like your face to." He reaches out and cups my face, gently running his finger along my jaw. "It's very pretty." He blushes.

"Thank you Edward." I laugh. "I like your face too."

He frowns and wipes my cheek with his thumb. "Don't cry. Why are you sad?"

"What?" I sniffle and rub my eyes, not aware that I had been tearing up.

"What's wrong?" he asks concernedly, his eyelids slightly droopy.

"Get some sleep Edward." The nurse cuts in. "You need to get some strength back." By the time she's stopped talking, Edward's eyes are closed and his breathing is deeper. She smiles at his sleeping form and jots something down on a clipboard by his bed. "Hopefully he sleeps for awhile." She tells us without looking up from her notes.

"When he wakes up will he be…" Esme trails off, looking at her son with teary eyes, "More himself? I hate seeing him like this."

"It's honestly a miracle he woke up so soon, usually our patients don't regain consciousness for at least a day." The Nurse tells her as she fiddles with one of the tubes attached to Edward's chest. I gently peel his hand out of my own and lay it at his side, already missing his touch. "I'd say the next time he wakes up, he'll be more aware of where he is and what happened. It's hard to tell if he even knew about the accident."

"When will he wake up again?" Alice asks anxiously. She shuffles toward the bed and hugs my waist for comfort.

"It's different from patient to patient." Carlisle answers. "Right Katie?" he raises his eyebrows at the nurse. She blushes and nods her head.

"We can't know for sure, but judging from patients before him… It could be another day."

"And he'll be okay?" Esme asks, her voice shaking slightly. "He won't have any memory loss? He'll heal alright?"

"Let me call in the Doctor, he'll be able to answer all of your questions." She pats Carlisle on the shoulder as she exits, no doubt to find Edward's surgeon.

"I'm going to go tell Jasper what's happening." She squeezes me and heads toward the door. "Come get me if anything happens?"

"Of course." I promise her. "Should I go?" I ask Esme reluctantly. It's not that I want to, hell I'd stay here all night, but this seems like more of a _family_ affair. "I'm sure you want some time with him…"

"Bella, don't be silly." Esme scolds, "You have as much right to be here as any of us. Unless you have somewhere to be…"

"No! Of course not. I just don't want to impose."

"You could never impose Bella." Carlisle smiles. Doctor Gerandy pokes his head around the door, and seeing us waiting, invites himself in and shuts the door behind him.

"Carlisle," He greets with a smile and a handshake. "Esme." He nods at her. His eyes turn to me, "And you are… Alice?"

"Bella." I correct, "Edward's…" _Wife?_ No, that's not fair to Edward to lie about that again. _Ex-girlfriend?_ I internally shiver at the title. "Friend." I settle for the middle ground.

"I believe Edward's visitors are restricted to family only." He looks at me expectantly.

"She's fine Bob." Carlisle interrupts. "Can we move on, please?"

"Of course." Doctor _Bob_ nods and opens the blue folder in his hands, scanning it with his eyes. "Yes, of course. Edward Cullen; four cracked ribs, a broken arm, some internal bleeding we had to patch up… a slight concussion." He snaps his folder shut and I wince at the sudden movement. His light happy-go-lucky voice seems so out of place in Edward's cold hospital room while he lays practically unconscious only a few feet away. _I want to smack that apologetic smile off his wrinkled old face_. "He got very lucky." Doc continues. "Considering what happened, I believe it could have been much worse." He claps Carlisle on the shoulder as he pulls open the door. "I believe there's someone looking down out for your son up there Mrs. Cullen." He smiles at her and shuts the door behind him.

"That's it?" I ask, incredulously. "He was _lucky_? No, 'oh he'll be able to leave soon' or 'no, we need to keep him for a while.' He was _lucky_?" That guy's a damn doctor and that's all he had to say?

Carlisle frowns. "He probably had another surgery to attend to." _Ah Carlisle, always the optimist_. "I'm sure they'll keep him for a few days… hopefully no longer than that. We try not to keep patients any longer than absolutely necessary." He explains. "It's better for everyone if they can do a majority of recovery at home, or with their families."

"I think I'd like to stay with him tonight, if I can." Esme looks over to Carlisle, her voice pleading. "I can't leave him Carlisle, what if he wakes up? He needs someone here."

"Esme, dear." Carlisle soothes, "I think we should all go home and rest. It's been a long day." I glance up at the clock on the wall. _Holy fucking shit! Eight thirty? At night?_ Where the hell has the day gone?

"I'll stay." I blurt out without thinking. I blush as their eyes snap to mine curiously. "You know, you both seem really tired… and if he wakes up, I can call you- you know, so you wouldn't have to wait for _Doctor Bob_ to notice and give you the heads up…" I trail off. "If not, that's totally okay, I mean I-"

"Are you sure?" Esme asks, her eyes shining- with tears or gratefulness, I'm not sure.

"Of course. I have nowhere to be…" _Jeeze Bella, make it sound like you have no life why don't ya'_. "It would be my pleasure."

"Only if you're absolutely sure, Bella." Carlisle rubs his face, his eyes squinting at me. "You know we would never ask this of you."

"You're not asking," I point out. "I volunteered. There's a difference."

"Thank you dear." Esme pulls me in for a hug. "You have no idea how grateful we are." She lets me go and turns to Edward's sleeping form. _He looks so peaceful_. She grabs his hand and places a tender kiss on his forehead.

"It's the least I could do." I answer, distracted by the steady rise and fall of Edward's chest. _He's alright, he's going to be okay_, I remind myself.

"We missed you so much Bella." Esme tells me honestly, still holding her sons' hand. "When you two… broke things off," she chokes out, "I never thought I'd see him happy again."

"Esme-" I stop her, my voice cracking.

"He was so… broken." She continues, ignoring me. "It was like all the life got sucked out of him." She looks up at me then, her eyes shining with tears, but her mouth smiling that famous Cullen-crooked smile. "And then you showed up the wedding." She giggles, "I must say, you put on a nice performance Mrs. Swan. You and Emmett's girl. But I wasn't watching you, Bella. I was watching my son." She raises her eyebrows at me. "I was watching my little boy smile- his first real smile in almost four years. All because of you." She nods her head, satisfied at the memory. "When you left, all hell broke loose. Between Tanya and her mother- I don't know who was worse. But even then, I was watching my son- and just like that, it was as if the past three years had never happened. He looked… alive again." She shrugs. "So of course I wasn't surprised when he called us later to tell s the wedding wouldn't be happening. Jeeze, I was glad to see that _bitch_ go-"

"Esme!" Carlisle cuts her off, shocked.

"Oh please, Carlisle. Like you weren't overjoyed. And you thought I didn't see your victory dance after he called. I did." She tells him smugly.

He blushes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do." She tells him slyly. "It involved a kitchen chair and a bad strip-tease." I yelp and throw my hands over my ears.

"TMI mama-bear." I hiss out playfully. Her smile widens at my slip up of her old nickname.

"And," Esme continues. "I saw you singing along with Bella and her friend. Dare I ask where you heard such a song?" Esme teases him. "Back to my story." She faces me again, unconsciously stroking Edward's hair. "This morning, I saw _MY_ Edward. Not the shell of a man that spoke when spoken to and smiled at all the right times, and wore dress slacks instead of PJ's on Christmas morning." She sits up from Edward's bed. "And then he told us that he just came from your house, and I knew. You gave me my son back, Bella, and I am forever in your debt." She uses her coat sleeve to wipe the tears from my face.

"No," I shake my head at her. "I should never have let him go." I whisper, not meeting her eyes. I look down at Edward and swallow the tight feeling in my chest. "I should never have let him go." Esme pulls me in for a hug and strokes my hair.

"Everything happens for a reason, Bella." And with one last kiss on Edward's head, she grabs Carlisle's hand and pulls him out the door, leaving me alone with Edward. I sigh and search the room for a place to sit.

I spit a folding chair near the door and grab it, bringing it close enough to Edward's bed to hold his hand as he sleeps. I make myself comfortable- well, as comfortable as possible in a hospital room on a hard-ass metal chair. I grab my phone, seeing a text from Alice.

**Hey B, thnx for staying with Eddie…  
>I know he'll b happy to wake up 2 u :)<br>I'm heading home with Jazz, call if u need anything,  
>or wen he wakes up?<br>Thnx babe, Luv ya :)**

I don't bother a reply, suddenly feeling my lack of sleep catching up with me. I rest my head on Edward's bed beside our clasped hands and close my eyes. _Just a nap_, I think as my breathing deepens and my eyelids get heavier.

"_Morning baby," I feel pressure on my forehead as my eyes slowly open. Edward is leaning on top of me, his chest bare and his green eyes gleaming. He leans down and presses a chaste, but sweet, kiss on my lips._

"_Morning Edward." I smile and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "That's all I get?" I pout at him. He playfully nips at my protruding lip and leans his forehead against mine._

"_You're the one who complains about morning breath." He defends._

"_Hm," I pretend to think for a moment. I open my mouth to answer with some witty comeback but he cuts me off, his warm lips attacking mine and his tongue slipping past my lips. I moan as he rest his full weight on me and grips my hands, bring them up and trapping them above my head._

"_I love you Mrs. Cullen."_

My eyes snap open when I feel a tug on my arm. I groan as a ray of sunlight pours through the open window and into my eyes. "Fuck," I moan as I sit up, stretching out my sore back. The metal chair beneath me squeaks as I attempt to reposition myself, and I wince at the sudden noise.

I let out a yawn and rest my head closer up on Edward's bed, almost on his pillow. I rub his hand gently with my thumb, relishing in the feel of pure _Edward_. My eyes trace up his sheet-clad body and assorted casts covering his torso up to his face. I sigh contently when I reach his face. _He always did have the perfect face_. I think sleepily.

_And those green eyes_, I think as I peer into them lazily. His eyes were really the thing about him that got me when we first met. His face twitches as his eyes settle on mine. _Wait-_

He smiles and his eyes scrunch up adorably. His voice is scratchy and weak, "Are you done?"

**Hehe, cliffie! *Insert evil laugh***

**I want to apologize for the late update… I know last chapter I said I would be posting more regularly, but… I lied. I didn't account for finals coming up and al the studying and shit that goes with 'em. So I'm sorry guys, (but wish me luck anyway!)**

**So what did you think of this chapter? Good? Bad? Lemme know!**

**Reviews are better than cookies with Robert Pattinson! Eh, maybe not, but you get the idea.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Yay! An update! (And on time too! Go me!)**

**As I'm sure you've figured out by now, I am not Stephenie Meyer. Just a fan that enjoys sponging off her characters.**

_I let out a yawn and rest my head closer up on Edward's bed, almost on his pillow. I rub his hand gently with my thumb, relishing in the feel of pure Edward. My eyes trace up his sheet-clad body and assorted casts covering his torso up to his face. I sigh contently when I reach his face. He always did have the perfect face. I think sleepily._

_And those green eyes, I think as I peer into them lazily. His eyes were really the thing about him that got me when we first met. His face twitches as his eyes settle on mine. Wait-_

_He smiles and his eyes scrunch up adorably. "Are you done?"_

"Edward? Edward!" I throw myself on top of him, hugging him to my chest. "Edward!"

He lets out a groan and gently pats my back. "Bella, I'm fragile." His voice is rough, and no more than a whisper.

"What?" it's then that I realize I'm practically lying on top of him and his cracked ribs. "Oh, shit." I mumble and quickly retract myself. "I'm sorry," I settle for brushing the hair off his forehead and grasping his hand in my own. _Gently, might I add_.

"Don't worry about it." He flashes me his crooked smile, and I feel my heart rate pick up. Hey, at least it's him and not me hooked to that heart monitor beepy thing. Wouldn't _that_ be embarrassing?

"How are you feeling?" I ask concernedly. He still looks just as pale, and the dark circles under his eyes haven't gone away.

"Like a million bucks." He quips, closing his eyes and leaning back on his pillows.

"Edward-" I start, my heart breaking for him.

"I'm fine, Bella!" He tells me forcefully, his voice cold.

It's silent for a moment, the only noise in the room being the steady beeping of his heart-monitor. "I should call Carlisle and Esme." I slide my hand out of his grasp and reach down for my phone.

"Bella," he stops me by tilting my chin up with his finger. His eyes are sad, "I'm sorry." He sounds honest and is mile softly.

"You don't have to be brave all the time, Edward." I tell him softly. "You're only human."

"Maybe I don't want you to see me like… _this_." He motions toward his body and relaxes back into his bed.

"Like what?"

"Weak. Helpless. Jesus, I can't even take a piss! There's a fucking _tube_ attached to my-"

"Edward," I cut him off before he can elaborate on his tube. "You're not weak." I spit out the word. "You had an accident, that's not your fault! Nothing you do could've stopped that." I hiss at him, my anger slowly rising. "Stop being such a fucking pussy about it and man up! For fucks sake, you're in the hospital and you think you're weak?" I ask him incredulously.

"Bella-"

"No." I stop him. I get up from my chair and pace by the side of his bed. "Do you have any _idea_ what it was like?" I stop pacing and stare at him. "Sitting out there for hours, just waiting to hear if you were going to make it?" My voice is rising, and I'm sure borderline hysterical by now. "I thought-" I stop and take a deep breath to calm myself. "I thought you were… You know what? It doesn't matter," I shake my head. "You're fine and that's all that matters." I flip open my phone and angrily punch in Esme's cell number she gave me right before they left last night.

"Bella, don't." he whispers, right as I'm about to his the call button.

"Don't what?" I shoot back, my finger stilled above the little green button.

"Give me ten minutes. Don't call then yet." He pleads.

"Edward," I sigh, "They're your parents, they need to know." And Esme'll have my ass if she finds out I didn't tell her as soon as he started to stir. She'll chain-saw it off and hang it above her fireplace. _Ass of Bella Swan, who didn't follow my instructions_.

"Bella, please. You know how my mother is. She'll fuss over me and I won't get to see you." He rolls his eyes, but I can tell by the wistful look on his face he wouldn't have his mother any other way.

"Edward," I whine while going through a mental pro/con list.

"Bella," he whines back teasingly.

"Fine," I shut my phone. "But when Esme finds out you're awake, I'm blaming you." I return to my hard-ass chair and shift uncomfortably. "I'll tell her you held me down and threatened me within an inch of my life."

"Right," he giggles. _Yes, he giggled_. And fuck if it doesn't make me feel all tingly inside. "Because I am _so_ capable of that right now." He holds up his arm and motions down to his bandaged ribs. "I think you might break me if I tried to take you."

"What are you saying?" I cross my arms in mock-anger.

"Nothing, nothing." He holds up his hand in surrender. He smiles then, and I can't help but grin back like a retard. "What?" his smile reminds me of something… I rack my brain trying to remember.

_We're staring at each other, _much like we are now_. Only, we're lying down. In a bed. Together. With Edward on top of me. And kissing me._ Holy shit, he's kissing me. _His voice is soft, loving even; "I love you Mrs. Cullen."_

"What?" his voice snaps me out of my daze. I blush as my dream from last night comes flooding back to me. _Mrs. Cullen?_ What the fuck was I thinking? And why the fuck did I like it?

"What?" I ask, self-consciously as I hope my revelation isn't written all over my face.

"You were staring at me. Again." He smirks.

I blush harder. "No I wasn't." I lie.

"Yes you were." He drawls out. "Remember when we used to go to Rosa's Taco?"

"Um, yes?" I answer; worried that maybe he's delirious.

"And you would always get the Ranchero Burrito?" I nod, my mouth watering just thinking about it. _Best_ _damn burrito in New York_. "Remember how you used to look at that thing like it was the best thing in the world?"

"Because it was," I roll my eyes, seriously concerned for his mental health. What does Rosa's have to do with anything? Hey I can't complain, maybe he forgot my staring at him for the moment.

"Well, when you were staring at me," I do an internal face palm. _Well, thought too soon_. "I felt like I was Rosa's Ranchero Burrito." He tells me, his eyes glued to the ceiling.

"What's your point?" Surely he couldn't know what I dreamt last night?

"Did you know," he rolls over on his side so he's facing me, our eyes even. "That you talk in your sleep?" I blush and look down at the ground. _Hey, whoever did the tile in this room laid that one crooked_. "I missed that."

"What?"

"I missed hearing you sleep-talk." He reaches his hand out for mine and I gladly accept it. "You used to say the funniest things." He smiles sadly. "You used to dream about me a lot. You said my name; that you loved me." I can't tell if he's talking about before, or last night.

"Edward, please." I blush, already feeling embarrassed tears stinging my eyes.

There's a squeaking noise, and the door behind us flings open revealing Doctor Gerandy and a team of nurses. I sniffle and wipe away my tears, attempting to straighten out my hair. I take my hand out of Edward's and fold up my chair, returning it to its place against the wall.

"Good morning Mr. Cullen." Dr. Gerandy smiles and holds the door open for the nurses. Five of them in matching green scrubs flock in and begin fiddling around with Edward's tubes and monitors. I try not to look at him, but fail when I hear him whisper my name. I step closer to him, next to a guy replacing a bag of something clear on one of the tubes.

"Bella," his eyes are pained and his voice quiet.

"Mrs. Swan?" Doc asks.

"Bella," Edward whispers again, pulling my attention back to him. "You're not alone."

"What?" _I'm not alone in what?_

"Mrs. Swan," I feel a tug on my arm. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Would you hang on for just a fucking second?" Edward yells at him before returning his attention to me. "Bella," his voice is softer. "You're not the only one who feels like that." He tells me cryptically.

"What are you talking about?" I ask as Doc pulls me away. Edward reaches out his hand, but I'm already too far away.

"Don't leave me," He pleads.

I shake my head, "Never." I mouth. He smiles softly, and a door is abruptly shut in front of me, blocking my view. "What the fuck?" I glare at Doctor Gerandy. _Couldn't he see we were having a moment?_

"Mrs. Swan I allowed you to stay overnight, but I will not allow you to interfere with my patients' care!" he hisses angrily, his face turning blue.

"Okay," I hold up my hands in mock-surrender. "Don't pop a vessel doc." I pull out my phone and start typing in Esme's number. I hit call and stick my tongue out at Doctor G's retreating form as he heads back into Edward's room. _Asshole_.

The phone rings and rings, but no one picks up. "Hey Esme," I start after the beep. "Um, I just wanted to let you know that Edward's awake. Doctor G just went in with some of his nurses and they're… I don't actually know what they're doing. So, I guess you can come down any time. I already got kicked out so I doubt you can see him yet, but-" I trail off as I spin around and come face to face with a pair of amused green eyes. I gulp audibly and hang up the phone.

"Oh, heeey Esme." I smile innocently. "You must've got my message." _Really, Bella? That's the best you could come up with_? She just heard you leave the message dumb-shit.

"Hm," she humphs and crosses her arms. _Well Bella, say goodbye to your ass- 'cuz you just pissed off mama bear_.

"Esme, I am so sorry." _Hey, I'm not above ass kissing._ "I told Edward I should call you, but then he was like 'no, not yet." And then he sat on me and tied my arms down and threatened to take away Tink if I called you. And then I was like 'no, you can't do that, I have to call her.' but he wouldn't let me. And then-"

"Bella," Esme stops me. "Dear, did you get enough sleep last night?" she asks worriedly. She holds her hand up to my forehead. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, why?" I ask, confused as to why she isn't pissed. I mean, I _did_ promise I'd call as soon as Edward woke up. "Aren't you mad?"

She smiles and retracts her and from my face with a knowing smile. "Of course not dear. I know what it's like to be in love." _Whoa, whoa, back up there mama bear_.

"What? I don't think-" she holds put a hand for me to shut up.

"You have nothing to explain." She smiles. "He's a very lucky boy to have you."

"Esme, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't." she winks. "Now, let's go find that husband of mine." She pulls me away from Edward's door.

"Where is he?" I ask as we follow the hallway toward the waiting room.

"Oh, who knows? Last time I checked he was trying to get some information about Edward and how long it'll be before he can go home."

I nod, not knowing what to say. "How did you know? That he woke up, I mean."

"Doctor Gerandy called."

"How did he know?" nobody checked on us.

"Oh, they can tell by the heart-rate monitor when a patient is awake or asleep. At least, that's what Carlisle told me."

"Oh," _that's a little creepy_. He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake… Too bad Doc isn't fat and jolly.

"Kinda weird isn't it?" she whispers. "Like they're always watching you."

I giggle and throw my arm around her shoulders. "God I've missed you Esme."

"Oh, Bella." She returns my embrace with a smile. "May I just say that you have grown into an even more beautiful woman since I saw you last." I blush and look down mumbling a quiet 'thank you.'

"Where's Alice?" I switch topics hoping to divert the attention away from myself. "I figured she's be here by now."

"She decided to wait awhile. I believe she and Jasper are coming by tomorrow sometime to see him. Doctor Gerandy told us over the phone that they don't want to let too many people in the first few days of his recovery. Cut back on the germs he'll be exposed to and all that."

"That makes sense." I nod in agreement. We spot Carlisle's slicked back blonde hair talking to a young woman I recognize as Edward's nurse from yesterday. Esme pulls me to a stop and takes a seat on one of the benches in the hallway. "Should I go?" She shoots me a confused look. "You know, because they don't want too many people visiting him? And _technically_ I'm not family." And I really don't want to face him so soon. _Not now that he heard my dream last night_. I must've said that I loved him, I mean that's what I dreamt… right before we- never mind. Do I love him?

I blanch at the direction of my thoughts and turn my attention back to Esme, hoping to dispel all thoughts of Edward and… _love_. No Bella, you swore you'd be strong. He hurt you once, don't let him in again.

Friends. Just friends.

"- Unless of course you want to, in which case I completely understand." Esme finishes and looks at me expectantly.

_Oh shit, she was talking_. "Uh," I stutter, trying to buy myself time to think of a generic response. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said." I blush in embarrassment.

"Maybe you should go home." She frowns. "Get some rest. You seem a bit out of it." She frowns. "Yes, I think that would be best."

"Maybe you're right." I try to sound upset, but internally I'm jumping up and down. I don't have to have a 'feelings' talk with Edward. By his parting words earlier, I'd say that's just what he wants to talk about. _You're not the only one who feels like that_. I mean, he did admit to still having feeling for me that night at the club.

"Do you need a ride? You mentioned that your neighbor drove you here…" she trails off.

"Oh," I wave her off. "Don't worry about it. I'll just take a cab."

"Are you sure?" her forehead wrinkles in concern. "It's no trouble."

"Esme," I tell her with mock force. "Go see your son." She pulls me in for a hug and hands me some money.

"Here, you stayed with him all of last night. The least I can do is pay for your cab."

"Esme, don't be silly. It's fine." I insist and push the money back towards her. She crosses her arms and glares at me, daring me to defy her. "Fine, fine." I hold my hands up in surrender. "I'll see you soon." I hug her again. "Feel free to call if you need anything, okay? I'm here for you."

"Thank you, dear."

I'm making my way down the hall toward the front of the hospital when I smash into someone. "Steady there Bella." Carlisle chuckles, "Now I know why you used to be in my office so much as a child."

"Haha, Carlisle." I roll my eyes. "I'm just headed home to clean up," I glance down and wince at my rumpled sweats and baggy sweatshirt. "And rest a bit. Metal chairs aren't a very good bed-substitute." I joke.

"Bella, sleeping in a chair is horrid for your posture." He frowns, his 'doctor mode' coming on full force.

"Sorry Doctor C." I start to turn away when I remember the money in my hand. "Hey Carlisle!" I call after him. He waits for me and I shove the cash into his hands. "Happy Birthday." I smile innocently and take off toward the doors. _Esme won't even know_.

"Bella," he calls after me, the confusion apparent in his voice. "It's not my birthday." _Whoops, my bad_. I chuckle as I hail a cab at the front of the hospital.

Forty five minutes later, the shades in my bedroom are closed, keeping as much afternoon light out as possible. I'm sniggled up in my mountains of blankets and hello-kitty pajamas. I try to shut off my brain- but hey, when does that _ever_ work?

I can't help but imagine his forest-green eyes staring back at me with so much _love_. Involuntarily, I flashback to that night at the club. _I_ _love you Bella. I never stopped_.

Jesus. I shove my head down in my pillow and scream as loud as I can. _When the hell did my life get so fucked up?_

**So, was it what you had hoped for and more? Let me know!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey everyone! I'm baaack…**

**I won't even bother making excuses for my absence. Life has really been handing me lemons lately. Can you believe we haven't had an update since January? I know right…**

**So, I've come to the decision to put my other stories on hold at this moment in time. I apologize for that, but I really want to focus on school and work right now… I will, however, continue to update this story whenever I get the chance (Hopefully often).**

**Anywho, on a happier note… We reached **_**a hundred and one**_** reviews last Chapter! Whoo hoo!**

BPOV

"Thank you so much for doing this Bella." Esme hugs me tightly. "I still can't believe his nurse just cancelled! Completely last minute, no warning or anything. How did she expect us to find someone to watch him on such short notice?" she rants.

"She didn't give a reason?" I ask as I step through the door to Edward's house for the second time in my life.

"Nope." She pops the 'p' and shakes her head. "She just said 'I'm taking the day off Mrs. Cullen. I have some business to attend to'."

"Oh, well. It's no problem Esme, really." I try to smile even though I'm shaking inside. When Esme called me this morning begging me to come take care of Edward for the day, my immediate reaction was a big fat 'no'. I was probably the last person he wanted to see after two weeks of being MIA.

Yep, that's right. I haven't seen him in fifteen days, and counting. I just couldn't bring myself to face him after… that day. And I'm sure he hates my guts right about now.

"He'll be so happy to see you!" she gushes. "He's been asking about you every day! He'll be so surprised!"

"Wait… you didn't tell him?" I squeak.

"NO dear, he was asleep." She kisses my cheek. "Don't forget I left you a list of things you'll need to do on the counter. I have to run, take care Bella! Thank you so much!" And with that, she closes the front door behind her and is gone, oblivious to my inner turmoil.

_What the fuck did I get myself into?_

It takes me a few tries to find which door is Edward's room. Of course it's the last one I try. I think it's an omen. _Turn around Bella and never come back_.

I take a deep breath and enter his dark room, leaving the door open to allow a little bit of light through so I don't trip over the land mines, ehem clothes, scattered all over his floor. I take a moment to let my eyes adjust before attempting to make my way over to his bed. There's a hump in the middle of the bed which I can only assume is him.

"Edward," I whisper and feel around for a body part to poke. "Edward!" I whisper a little louder, adding in a shake of what I assume is his arm. "Edward, wake up!" I shove him harder.

He lets out a strangled gurgling noise and his eyes flutter open. The faint light from the hallway sheds a ribbon of light over his face and he turns away.

"Siobhan," he groans. _Who the hell is Siobhan?_ "My mom isn't here this morning. Let me sleep."

"Edward." I raise my voice to a normal tone. "Get up."

"Bella?" He mumbles sleepily, his eyes squinting in the darkness of the room. "Bella is that you?"

"Hey Edward." I whisper softly and force a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Are you really here or am I dreaming again?" He mumbles, his voice thick with sleep. _He dreams about me?_ He lays his head back on his pillows and closes his eyes.

"Edward?" His eyes shoot open again at the sound of my voice. "Do you want me to open the blinds?" There's a long pause as he stares at me, his green eyes scrutinizing. "Edward?" I prompt after a few more seconds. _Maybe he's high on pain meds_.

He nods and rests his head back on the pillows. I trip over something on my way to his window and open the blinds. Light floods the room until I can see him clearly laying in a rumpled mess in a heap of blankets and pillows. I make my way back to him, careful not to trip again on the offending item. _Pants_, I think as I sidestep them. I return to my perch on the side of his bed and gently run my hand along his forehead.

"What are you doing?" His un-casted hand reaches up and pushes me away.

"Esme left me with a list of instructions." I defend and hold up the paper she gave me before she left. "Number one," I read, "Wake him up. Done. Number two, check for fever. In progress." I return my hand to his head. Nada. "Done." I retract my hand and set the paper on his nightstand. I can feel his eyes on me, but I refuse to look at him.

The silence is filled with tension as I gaze around his room. Typical guy room; a bed, a dresser, nightstand, and a couch. Nothing personal, just the necessities.

"Number three," I consult my trusty instructions just for something to do. "Get meds from-"

"Where have you been?" his voice is cold and calculating.

"What do you mean?" I play dumb and stare at the floor, wishing it would open up and swallow me whole so I wouldn't have to have this conversation. Of course I know what he's talking about. I haven't been to visit him since I spent the night at the hospital two weeks ago. Alice told me he's been asking about me every day since then, but I could never bring myself to face him. Not after what he said. _You aren't the only one who feels like that_.

Jake called me a pussy and tried to forcefully carry me to Edward's place to talk to him. Let's just say he spent the night icing his balls with a bag of frozen peas.

"Don't play coy Bella. You know exactly what I mean."

"I've been busy." I defend.

"Doing what?" he practically shouts. I wince as his angry voice reverberates off the walls in the room.

"I have a job, you know."

"That's bullshit Bella. You're a publisher. You read, what, two books a month and turn them in? You used to brag about how you didn't even really have a job! You're getting paid to read, Bella." He takes a deep breath to calm himself. "It's been fifteen days." He states calmly.

I try to catch his eyes, but his are glued to the ceiling. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"Tell me why. That's all I want to know."

I think for a moment, mulling over my options. "Can we not do this now? Esme said I need to get you your pain meds."

"Fuck the pain meds!" he yells. "I'm fine, Bella." He sneers. "Just tell me _why_."

"Because I was scared." I whisper, so low I doubt he heard me. His eyes slide over to mine. He doesn't even need to speak for me to know what he's thinking. He's hurt; and not just physically. "Come on. I'm supposed to take you into the living room. Carlisle said it's not good for you to lay down all day." I stand up and wait for him to make a move. His piercing eyes finally release me as he struggles to sit up. "Here," I reach out to help him.

"I can do it, Bella. I've been doing it for two weeks." He mumbles something else at the end I don't catch. I decide not to ask.

"Where's your wheelchair?" I ask.

"Don't need it. Just let me lean on you." He grunts out as he pushes himself up off the bed.

"But Esme-"

"Esme isn't the one who hasn't walked in two weeks!" I let it go and duck under his outstretched arm to help him stand up.

"You good?" I huff as we start our walk toward the door.

"Fine," I can tell this is hard for him.

"Does it hurt?"

"Like a bitch."

It's quiet as we hobble the rest of the way down the hall and into the den. I spot a couch in front of the TV piled high with pillows and maneuver us toward it.

"This good?"

"Yep." He lets go of me and falls back onto the couch with a '_hmph'_.

"Pain meds?" I ask and he nods.

"In my nightstand drawer." He tells me tersely. _Well, today should be fun_, I think.

I let out a frustrated sigh when I get out of earshot of Edward. I make my way to his room and fall unceremoniously on his bed. _Fuck he smells good_. Musky and sweet, and just _man_. As much as I'd love to lay here all day wrapped in Edward's delicious scent, I know I can't ignore him or pretend he doesn't exist. I'm the cause of this… tension, and I either have to fix it or put it aside for now.

With my new feeling if purpose, I hunt around in Edward's drawer for his meds. Esme said they were in a blue bottle. _Damn he has a lot of shit in here_. Pencils, pens, paper… a journal. Tissues? Damn I hop those aren't used. I reach in the back and pull out something that feels like plastic. Oh, an old thing of contact lens solution. Jeez Edward, hoarder much? Empty envelope, wadded up piece of paper… condoms? I swallow down the bile in my throat as I think of why he would need those.

He was engaged, Bella. I shove them aside and try to ignore the feeling of hurt that washes over me. It's one thing to assume it and another thing altogether to see the evidence of it.

I take a deep breath and continue my search, coming up empty handed. _What the fuck?_ I slam the drawer shut and try the dresser instead. Oh would you look at that. They're on top of the dresser.

Thanks Ed-wad.

Something next to the pill bottle catches my eye. A picture. Of him. And me. Together. He has his arm wrapped around me and is kissing my forehead, stupid smiles on both of our faces and ugly yellow graduation caps on our heads.

I force myself to look away and make my way back to Edward. "How many do you take?" he jumps at the sound of my voice.

"Just two."

"Water?"

"I have some." He reaches out and grabs a glass on the coffee table in front of him. I hand him the pills and close up the bottle.

"It's nine, are you hungry?" he mumbles something I can't hear. "What?"

"Yes." He says a little louder.

I roll m eyes. "You're acting like a child."

"I feel like one." he snaps back. "I can't even fucking stand up without help."

"Are you like this with your nurse? I can't imagine why she needed to take the morning off."

"No, Siobhan's great."

"Oh, so it's just me?" I don't give him a chance to reply as I storm into his kitchen. I decide a sandwich would be easy, and it won't taste like shit if I just slap it all together. _PB and J._ I'm involuntarily sucked back into a flashback of Edward and me in our meadow just behind his house.

"_I think it gets even more beautiful every time we come." I smile up at Edward._

"_Yes, you do." He grins and pulls me down on the grass._

"_Edward," I giggle, "That was cheesy." We kick off our shoes and rest our feet in the cool pond water._

"_You want cheesy?" he pulls out a plastic bag from his backpack. "PB and J. He hands me a sandwich. We were out of everything in the house. Luckily I was able to find some old peanut butter in the back of the cabinet."_

_I look up at him, his eyes shining in mirth and happiness. This is all I could ever ask for. "It's perfect."_

Unfortunately it only takes me a few minutes to finish his sandwich, and before I know it I'm back in front of him. "Here." I hand him his plate. He takes it and laughs. "What?" I demand.

"Bella," he snorts. "You forgot the peanut butter."

"No I didn't!" I grab the pate and peel off the top layer of bread. _Fuck. No peanut butter_. "I'll be back."

He grabs my arm and stops me. "No, I changed my mind. I'm not hungry." I look at him skeptically and set the plate back down on the table. "Just sit with me?" he pleads and moves his legs, patting the place beside him.

I relent, but sit as far as I can on the opposite end of the couch.

"So…" I trail off after what feels like hours of silence.

"I'm sorry, Bella." I look over at him in surprise.

"For what?"

"Acting like a child." He laughs humorlessly.

I shrug, "You kinda have an excuse." I motion to his many casts and wrappings.

"Maybe, maybe not." It's silent again.

"Maybe there's something on TV?" I suggest and grab the remote.

"No, wait." He stops me. "I want to talk."

"Okay," I set the remote down. "What about?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Everything. Not just about the past few weeks. Everything. You, me. _Tanya_. The wedding."

I stiffen. "Why?"

"Because I know that nothing will ever work between us-"

"There is nothing between us." I tell him firmly, even though my heart disagrees.

"Our _friendship_." He stresses. "None of it will work if we don't get this out of the way first. It'll always be hanging over us."

"No it-"

"Bella," he turns his body toward me and sits up straighter. "Look me in the eye and tell me you never think about me and Tanya." I wince at her name. "Tell me you don't still resent me for what I did."

My refusal to even look at him gives him his answer.

"See, it-"

"I can't help it." I cut him off. "Tell me how I'm supposed to be _friends_ with the only man that I've ever loved. The same man, who purposefully, cheated on me with some dime-a-dozen slut!" I'm practically fuming by the end of my rant. And Edward, ever the epitome of calm, just nods his head and leans back on the couch.

"I think we need to do this, Bella." I slump down, realizing that he's probably right. If nothing else, I'll finally get the chance to scream at him like I've always secretly wanted to.

"Okay." I agree after awhile. "Let's talk."

**Good? Bad? Anyone still with me?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! *Rocks on feet nervously* So I hope you don't hate me for waiting so long for another update. I had to write and rewrite this so many times until I was satisfied… Honestly I think this is probably the hardest chappie I've written so far. So, hopefully you like it. *crosses fingers***

**And obviously, I don't own Twilight… Else I'd be sitting on a beach somewhere surrounded by hot cabana boys and every dessert known to man.**

"_I can't help it." I cut him off. "Tell me how I'm supposed to be friends with the only man that I've ever loved. The same man, who purposefully, cheated on me with some dime-a-dozen slut!" I'm practically fuming by the end of my rant. And Edward, ever the epitome of calm, just nods his head and leans back on the couch._

"_I think we need to do this, Bella." I slump down, realizing that he's probably right. If nothing else, I'll finally get the chance to scream at him like I've always secretly wanted to._

"_Okay." I agree after awhile. "Let's talk."_

"So… do you want to start?" Edward asks, glancing at me shyly from under his lashes.

I snort. "Um, no. this whole talky-talk thing was your idea." I slump down in the chair opposite him, hugging a throw pillow to my chest. "Please, do start." I smile sweetly at him.

"Okay." He nods. "Where to start?" he asks, more to himself than to me.

"The beginning, maybe?"

"Seems as good a place as any." He smiles nervously and clears his throat. "So, picture a guy. No, a kid really. He thinks he has it all. Fresh out of school, great job, plenty of money, a great family, and he's with his high school sweetheart- the woman he loves more than life itself." He lets out a breath of air. "Only, he's still just a kid. He thinks he has it all, thinks he _knows_ it all, bet he doesn't. He doesn't know shit, hasn't _experienced_ shit."

He shifts uncomfortably on the couch, wincing as he moves. "He thinks he's ready to move on with his life, so he does the most obvious thing. He buys a ring. And he waits. A month. And after a month, he finally grows the balls to dig up the ring from his underwear drawer and ask his girl. But he knows how she feels about marriage. He knows and he asks anyway, because how could she say 'no'? But she does say no, and his little heart is broken. His pride is wounded, and he's angry. So he does what he thinks any man in his situation would do; he goes to a bar and gets wasted. Only, he's still a kid. He doesn't know what a _man_ would do."

He takes a deep breath before continuing. "A man? A man would've worried more about how his little stunt made _her_ feel. How _she_ was reacting. He would be wondering how to make it all better for _her_, after he screwed up. A man wouldn't have smiled at the blonde girl who sat on his lap a few drinks into the night. He wouldn't have taken her home, just to make himself feel better. He wouldn't have woken up half naked, sprawled out in his entryway while the blonde girl made herself at home. And a man would've chased after his love when she found him the next day."

"He wasn't a man then, and he didn't understand the full force of what he just did. How he just ruined the best thing in his life. He didn't chase after her, because he didn't think he had to. But he did have to, because everything that's worth anything doesn't just fall in your lap. You need to work for it, make yourself worthy. And unfortunately the kid didn't learn that until just a few weeks ago. When his past returned with a song and a dance- literally- and made him open his eyes. And as that _kid_ looked around himself, he realized he wasn't a kid anymore, and he needed to stop acting like one."

His eyes finally meet mine. His glassy, soulful eyes that I fell in love with the first day they stared into my own. His eyes, which up until this moment, have never looked so… broken… were pleading with me to understand. "You, Bella. You strode back into my life, and opened my eyes for me. And I didn't like what I saw. I looked at my… fiancé, and saw a mistake that I had made, so many years ago, that should have never happened."

"But it did happen." I tell him, my voice quiet, "You let it happen."

"I did." He nods, never looking away from me. "I regret it. Every second of it. And unfortunately, I didn't realize that until it was way too late. Years too late." He struggles to push himself up. He starts to raise himself off the couch and groans.

"Edward-" I protest, but he holds up his hand.

"I'm fine, Bella." He argues, lifting himself up all the way into a standing position. His breathing is shallow as he takes a small step toward me.

Luckily I'm out of my seat and in front of him, holding him up before he completely collapses. He chuckles, although it is strained. "Look at you, still taking care of me." We're chest to chest, completely pressed up against each other. His face is only inches from mine, his cool breath washing over my face. I can feel his heart pounding in his chest, its fast pace matching my own.

I feel home for the first time in… a long time.

Since that day he walked out of my life. Did he _really_ walk out?

Or did I push him?

"I'm so sorry, Bella." He whispers, his voice cracking as he gently strokes my cheek. "The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you."

"What do you want from me Edward?"

His hand stops, resting on my cheek. "I want you to tell me everything. I want you to get it all out. Do whatever you need to do; hit me, scream at me, make me cry." He chuckles. "Get it all out now so we can start over. That's what I want, Bella. A second chance. A chance to prove to you that I'm not a kid anymore. Once chance to show you that I've changed." He wipes away a tear that managed to escape from my eye. "If this were my dream, I'd spend the rest of my life showing you just how sorry I am."

"It wasn't just you." I tell him finally, after a long silence filled only with the heavy beating of our hearts. "I wasn't… ready, then. We were moving so fast, Edward, and I had slowly been pushing you away. I was so afraid, because of what happened with my parents. And I guess… I guess in a way we were both still kids then. Young and unprepared for the real world. I couldn't understand that we weren't Charlie and Renee. I couldn't comprehend the fact that not all relationships would end in hatred and broken hearts." I bring my hand up to trace the lines of his face, and the dark shadows under his eyes from lack of sleep. "I was afraid of us. Of how fast things were progressing. And then the proposal… it was the final nail in the coffin. So I said no. and instead of talking to you… I shut down. I ran."

"But then… I thought about it all. And really, we acted like a married couple anyway. What was a piece of paper _really_ going to change? So I went to your house, and _she_ was there. You can tell me all you want that she meant nothing to you, but what it all comes down to is that you chose her over me." It's silent as we both mull over our thoughts.

"I did pick her over you." He agrees at last. And as much as it hurts to hear, I respect him just that much more for not trying to deny it, and not trying to excuse what he did. "And there's no excuse for that. Like I said at the bar that night; you deserve better."

I give him a small smile as I trace his lips with my fingertips. "And in a perfect world, I would walk out this door and be blinded by the bright, shiny face of my prince charming. He'd hop out of his mint condition '67 Camaro, and we'd drive off into the sunset to our own little paradise. But this isn't a fairytale, Edward. People make mistakes; lord knows I've made enough of those. But the past… it's the past. And I've tried to hate you." He winces. "I've tried so hard, because that's what would be best for me. But the heart and the mind don't always agree."

"What does your mind say?"

"That you broke my heart. That I should run like hell in the opposite direction from you. That I shouldn't trust you."

"And what does your heart say?" he asks, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

"That I love you. That I have to trust you, because you're as close to prince charming as I'll ever get. That the years without you have been some of the hardest of my life. Harder than my parents' divorce. Harder that having my wisdom teeth pulled."

He laughs softly. "You did hate that dentist after your surgery."

"Nobody's perfect Edward." I tell him honestly.

"What do _you_ want Bella?" He asks quietly, still not breaking eye contact.

"I want you." I whisper, feeling that familiar prickling of tears in the back of my eyes. "I don't want a label. I want more than friendship, but no other word seems to describe _us_."

"You want me?" he asks, his voice and eyes full of wonder. And want.

Nodding, "I want you." And with that, his lips are on mine. Soft at first, growing stronger as I start to respond to his kiss. I pull back slowly, whispering, "Just show me that I can trust you again. Please, that's all I need."

"I promise you." He kisses me softly, "God, Bella, thank you." And I engage him in another scorching kiss.

Hearts beating. Lips caressing. Tongues tasting.

And with just this one kiss, I'm a puddle of goo. Everything about him that I've tried so hard to lock away comes flooding back to the surface. His smell, his taste, the feeling I get inside whenever he's around; almost like butterflies, only not so daunting. Happy butterflies. It's a feeling like I'm flying through the air.

And I never want to land.

Unfortunately he's still weak, and all too soon he loses his balance, pulling us both backwards onto the couch. I land on top of him and he moans in pain. "Oh! Edward, I'm sorry-" I start to pull off of him, but he wraps his arms around me, holding me still.

"Please, just stay." His eyes pleading. "I don't want to let you go yet."

"Edward, you're in pain."

"No." he groans, pulling me tighter against him.

"Edward? Did you just sniff me?" I giggle as I feel his nose run along the length of my neck.

He pulls back and smiles mischievously, "Maybe."

God I've missed this, missed _him_.

He runs his hands through my hair gently. "Bella I-" he cuts himself off and smiles nervously. "Thank you." I wonder what he was really going to say.

Given the look in his eyes right now, I'm pretty sure I know what he was going to say. Just three little words.

Three little words that we're not ready for yet.

And I thank him, silently, for not saying them just yet.

"For what?" I ask, snuggling into his side, relishing in the feel of his warm body pressed against mine at last.

"For being you."

**Anyone still with me?**

**Reviews'll make poor Eddie feel better…**


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